Around 310,000 female workers are leaving the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industry each year, costing businesses £2.8bn in replacement recruitment and initial training.

The claim is made in a report unveiled by sector skills council People 1st.

Figures from the Women 1st - the case for change: Women working in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism report show that the percentage of women working in the sector has continually declined over the past six years - from 61 per cent in 2004-5 to 56 per cent in 2010.

Furthermore, on average, 25 per cent of the male workforce is employed in management or senior positions, compared to 18 percent of females.

Martin-Christian Kent, People 1st's director of policy, said: "Employers in the industry are losing a valuable resource when talented women are unable to achieve their career ambitions."

The report suggest that there are five key barriers preventing the advancement of women to senior roles; the difficulty of combining work with caring responsibilities, a dominant macho culture, preconceptions and gender bias, a lack of networking and a lack of visible women in senior positions.