The seaside tourism industry in England and Wales has remained in good health despite economic pressures in the rest of the economy, according to a new study.

Researchers at Sheffield Hallam University say more than 200,000 jobs are directly supported in the sector.

They found that this figure has continued to grow despite fears that the recession and subsequent squeeze on household incomes would lead to a big fall in spending on leisure and tourism and their findings will support those who claim that Britons have been opting for the "staycation" in troubled financial times.

The Sheffield team say their new figures sh ow that seaside tourism employs more people than the motor industry, aerospace, pharmaceuticals or steel.

Blackpool is still the biggest resort in terms of seaside tourism jobs with nearly 16,000.

Brighton and Bournemouth follow close behind and, according to the study, 63 resorts around the coast of England and Wales have at least 1,000 jobs directly supported by tourism.

And the researchers believe that many more jobs in these towns are supported indirectly by tourism, estimating this figure could be 40,000 in Blackpool alone.

The report said: " In recent years the view has become widespread that the British seaside tourist industry is in terminal decline.

"Since the rise of cheap air travel, the story goes, the British holidaymaker has turned his or her back on seaside resorts at home in favour of sunnier destinations further afield.

"This is consigning British seaside resorts to the scrapheap of history, it is usually assumed. This view is deeply entrenched in the media and is the starting point for so much political and cultural discussion about seaside towns and the issues they face.

"Those who know Britain's seaside resorts have long been aware that this simplistic view is far from accurate."

It said: "What the evidence presented in this new report shows is that despite the backdrop of economic austerity since 2008, the British seaside tourist industry remains very much alive and well. It has weathered the economic storm and, handled appropriately, should have a viable long-term future too."

But the report also shows that some places are faring better than others.

It said: "But this general conclusion, applicable to England and Wales as a whole, cannot be applied to all destinations.

"Buried in the detail there is clear evidence of important locational shifts. Blackpool - still Britain's premier seaside resort - has been shedding tourism jobs. Conversely, Brighton and the coastal towns of the South West seem to be advancing from strength to strength."

Professor Steve Fothergill, co-author of the report, said: "Over the last few years there has been plenty of media discussion about the rise of 'staycations' - holidays in Britain rather than abroad - but so far little hard evidence. Our figures show that, so far, the British seaside tourist industry has weathered the age of austerity very well indeed.

"The survival of a large seaside tourist industry should be good news, not just for most seaside towns but also for UK plc."

This study - Seaside Towns In The Age of Austerity - was commissioned by British Destinations, the UK-wide association of local authorities and tourism bodies, with financial contributions from Visit Wales and the British Amusement Catering Trade Association.

Peter Hampson, chief executive of British Destinations, said: "The British seaside tourist industry has too often been written off as a relic of the past, and assumed to be on the same downward trajectory as so many other famous British industries.

"Anyone familiar with the resorts themselves knows this was always a myth, and I'm delighted that the new figures from Sheffield Hallam expose the truth.

"Our seaside resorts still face challenges in adapting to changing tastes and travel patterns but, with the right support from government, this is an industry that should have a bright future as well as an illustrious past."

According to the study, the seaside towns with more than 1,000 jobs directly supported by tourism are:

Greater Blackpool 15,900

Greater Brighton 15,200

Greater Bournemouth 13,300

Torbay 10,300

Isle of Wight 7,900

Newquay 5,900

Great Yarmouth 5,400

Llandudno/Colwyn/Conwy 5,000

Southport 4,400

Eastbourne 4,000

Weymouth 3,900

Scarborough 3,800

Thanet 3,800

Cleethorpes 3,200

Hastings & Bexhill 3,200

Southend-on-Sea 3,000

Weston-super-Mare 2,900

Skegness 2,800

St Ives 2,800

Ingoldmells 2,800

Southsea 2,600

Falmouth 2,600

Minehead 2,500

Bognor Regis 2,300

Bridlington 2,300

Morecambe/Heysham 2,200

Folkestone/Hythe 2,100

Clacton 2,100

Tenby 2,000

Sidmouth 1,900

Exmouth 1,900

Dawlish/Teignmouth 1,900

Whitby 1,900

South Shields 1,800

Lowestoft 1,700

Greater Worthing 1,700

Bude 1,700

Rhyl/Prestatyn 1,600

Padstow 1,600

Penzance 1,600

Dartmouth 1,500

Kessingland 1,400

Brean 1,400

Porthcawl 1,400

Hunstanton 1,300

Redcar 1,300

Hayling Island 1,300

Lymington 1,200

Mumbles 1,200

Aberystwyth 1,200

Cromer 1,200

Porthmadog 1,200

Ilfracombe 1,100

Hopton 1,100

Swanage 1,100

Whitley Bay 1,100

Looe 1,100

Lyme Regis 1,100

New Brighton 1,000

Burnham 1,000

Salcombe 1,000

Felixstowe 1,000

Seaburn 1,000