LOSSES at theme park operator Euro Disney have increased.

In the year to September 30, the operator said losses had risen by 37 per cent, and blamed dwindling tourism and higher operating costs.

The net loss for the full year increased to £32.42m from £23.6m the previous fiscal year.

The result was better than the £38m loss expected by analysts and the £41.42m forecast by internal company documents leaked in October.

Chairman and chief executive Andre Lacroix said in a news release that this year had been a particularly hard year for tourism across the board.

"The group's results are a reflection of this atypical year," Mr Lacroix said, pledging a renewed marketing drive to improve the company's top line next year.

The operator of Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios Park said revenue for the year was £750m, down 2.1 per cent, reflecting the downturn in European travel and tourism, strikes in France and difficult economic conditions in key markets.

Theme park attendance for the period fell to 12.4 million visitors from 13.1 million the year before, while the occupancy rate at Euro Disney hotels slipped to 85.1 per cent from 88.2 per cent.