Travel and tourism firms drive February GDP growth as pace slows
The UK marked a slower pace of GDP growth in February versus the month prior, with drops in production and construction.
According to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), GDP grew by 0.1 per cent in February 2022, after 0.8 per cent growth in January.
The services industry, which grew 0.2 per cent, was the main contributor to GDP growth, driven by tourism-related industries.
Travel agency, tour operator and other reservation services and activities grew 33.1 per cent on the month while accommodation grew 23 per cent.
Tourism firms have enjoyed a rebound in trade this year as Covid measures were eased.
However, growth in the services sector was partially offset by production, which fell by 0.6 per cent and construction, which fell by 0.1 per cent.
Monthly GDP is now 1.5 per cent above its pre-pandemic level in February 2020.
Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “The UK economy is already showing signs of fresh fragility in its latest health check, which is far from surprising given that in February the world veered from one crisis to another.
“It’s little wonder the economy overall is showing signs of stalling from its remarkable pandemic recovery, given the sense of foreboding which arose from mid-February as troops amassed on the Ukraine border and then the commodity shock unleashed by the invasion hit sentiment.”