TOURISM chiefs in Southampton have thrown their weight behind the Daily Echo's campaign to keep Saints in top-flight football.

Staff at the city's tourist office in Civic Centre Road waved a Saints scarf as they backed Harry and Jim's fight to prevent the south coast team from being relegated.

Tourism is worth £200m to the city's economy each year and bosses admit that if Saints lose their Premiership status, it could put a huge dent in the city's income.

Taxi drivers, hotels and popular tourist spots in the city such as Southampton's maritime museum could lose out if away fans and their families no longer travel to the city to watch their teams.

Bosses are hoping that Saints begin their climb away from the drop zone with a victory over Aston Villa at St Mary's today.

Southampton City Council tourism manager David Wood said: "The income we get from Saints being in the Premiership is vital.

"On a good day, Saints are attracting 32,000 people to the stadium. The majority of them are Southampton people but as they are in the Premiership, they do attract a substantial amount of away supporters."

He added that if Saints were to lose their fight to stay in the top flight, away supporters and their families would not longer pay to spend the weekend in the city and hoteliers would lose out on mini-break packages.

He said: "People coming from Bolton or Manchester now stop for the weekend. They come with their families and have a short break, which may involve them travelling to the New Forest or the Isle of Wight.

"When people come down to the south coast from the north it is an attractive tourist destination for the family to do something at the weekend.

"The fans tend to bring their wives and children. While they watch the match, the families may nip across to the New Forest or the Isle of Wight and if we go out of the Premiership, we will have lost that.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed that Harry and Jim can get enough points for the team to stay up."