Tourism prepares for body blow

The Devon countryside normally attracts walkers

As the ongoing foot-and-mouth crisis keeps visitors away from the countryside, BBC News Online's Finlo Rohrer finds the tourism industry bracing itself for weeks of misery.

Two of the UK's counties most reliant on tourism, Cumbria and Devon, are those worst hit by the disease.

The scenery of Cumbria's Lake District helps it attract crowds of visitors as part of the burgeoning weekend break market.

I don't have confidence in the government, the ministry or the national parks to run any kind of risk management

Howard Christie
hotelier

But Allan King, of Cumbria Tourist Board, told BBC News Online that the industry, worth £429m-a-year in direct expenditure by staying visitors alone, was already suffering.

"We are currently looking at between £5m to £8m lost - at this time of year that is massive," he said.

Jobs threat

"An estimated 350 jobs a week are under threat with individual businesses reporting losses of £20-30,000.

"In the Lake District, the two most important economic inputs are farming and tourism."

Howard Christie, the landlord of the Wasdale Head Inn, is one of those in the Lake District at the sharp end of the crisis.

Tourist hotspots: Cumbria's lakes

The picturesque backdrop of Wastwater and the nearby mountains provide tourists with classic walking country, but foot-and-mouth precautions have caused visitors to cancel holidays.

The 54-bed hotel will have only one couple staying over the weekend at a time when it would normally be full.

Mr Christie estimates he has already lost more money than the entire value of the livestock which graze in the area around his inn.

And as his 15 staff busy themselves with maintenance and gardening, everyone is prepared for the worst.

Losses

"Staff, at the moment, have been asked to take any outstanding holidays - but next week, it becomes inevitable that staff will be laid off.

"In the last ten days we have lost up to £26,000.

"I don't have confidence in the government, the ministry or the national parks to run any kind of risk management.

Attractions and businesses are saying they will have to lay off staff in the next week if the situation doesn't improve

Karen Martin
South West Tourism

"It is clear that the cost of even my losses could buy all the livestock in Wasdale.

"I won't be able to recover from losses I've made - if it goes beyond Easter, this, like many others, will be for sale.

"I know four other inns and hotels that have actually closed and laid off staff in the neighbouring valley."

In Wales, a television advertising campaign for tourism has been postponed for a month.

Tourism leaders warn that the £5m-a-day contribution from the industry to the Welsh economy is now at risk.

As in many other parts of the country, public footpaths and bridleways in Devon's rural areas are off-limits, and with Dartmoor and Exmoor out-of-bounds the county has lost two of its most popular attractions for walking tourists.

Bookings cancelled

Karen Martin of South West Tourism admits that the situation for those involved in the industry is getting worse.

"We are hearing of people who are having bookings cancelled - a lot of accommodation is on or adjoining the countryside or farmland. It is a key reason why people come down.

"There are quite a sizeable number of farms that offer bed and breakfast.

"Attractions and businesses are saying they will have to lay off staff in the next week if the situation doesn't improve.

Walking is the Lake District's main attraction for many tourists

"Tourism is a really major player across the south west, as far as Gloucestershire and Wiltshire - it is a £6bn a year industry."

She said tourism leaders were already working on a promotion campaign to bring back tourists and restore confidence after the crisis finally abated.

"Our message is that there is still a lot people can see and do down here - a lot of the coast is not affected."

'Rescue funds'

In Cumbria, tourist leaders will lobby the government for "rescue funds" to bail out businesses hit by the crisis and a marketing fund to relaunch tourism.

Mr King said: "People who are cancelling are willing to postpone and re-book for later."

In rural areas, all rights of way are closed with farmland and livestock areas totally out-of-bounds, but tourist leaders remind visitors that in towns and villages it is business as usual with most lake cruises still operating.

"The Lake District isn't closed," Mr King said.