DATE=04/06/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=HOOF AND MOUTH / TOURISM (L ONLY)

NUMBER=2-274621

BYLINE=TOM RIVERS

DATELINE=LONDON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The fight to regain Britain's lost tourist trade has begun with Prime Minister Tony Blair leading the call that Britain - and specifically the countryside - is "open for business." Tom Rivers in London reports the hoof-and-mouth outbreak probably will cost Britain's tourism industry billions of dollars in lost business this year.

TEXT: While most of Britain's countryside is accessible to tourists, the hoof-and-mouth crisis has generated fear, and international visitors are staying away in droves.

Television news images of slaughtered animals stacked up at disposal sites or scenes of smoke rising above pyres of burning carcasses has scared away many tourists since the outbreak began over six weeks ago.

Hoof-and-mouth - a highly contagious disease - has no serious effect in humans, but severely weakens and sometimes kills cloven-hoofed animals.

The hoof-and-mouth crisis - especially in the early days of the outbreak - has severely depressed Britain's tourist sector, which from a strictly financial point of view generates much more income than does Britain's meat export industry. It is estimated that Britain's tourist trade is losing some 280-million-dollars each week in lost business.

In the worst affected counties, trade is down by 80 percent. Many foreign visitors have simply canceled or postponed visits to the British Isles based on the view that most of the rural countryside is off limits.

To counter that perception, British leader Tony Blair has launched a public relations campaign in Yorkshire, in northern England, insisting that Britain is open for business.

/// BLAIR ACT 1 ///

The vast majority of tourist attractions are open. There is no problem at all coming out either into the countryside or in the towns and cities and visiting tourist attractions. We have simply got to get across a proper sense of perspective and the biggest help we can be for the tourist industry is to make sure that that message comes across loud and clear.

/// END ACT ///

In an effort to help those small rural businesses that are severely affected, Mr. Blair has announced a 170-million-dollar loan package.

But critics like Tim Yeo - agriculture spokesman with the opposition Conservative party - says the aid is too little, too late.

/// YEO ACT ///

A two-and-a-half week delay is worrying for small businesses with cash flow problems and the amount of money available today is still only a quarter of what we are recommending.

/// END ACT ///

/// OPT /// But Prime Minister Blair counters.

/// OPT // BLAIR ACT 2 ///

We will do everything we can possibly can to help people in the tourist industry but the main thing that tourism needs are tourists back, trade, and business.

/// END ACT // END OPT ///

While acknowledging the need to get visitors back into the countryside, some like Buckinghamshire County official Bill Chapple are concerned that it may be too soon to allow visitors into certain areas.

/// CHAPPLE ACT ///

I think we have got to contain it a little bit more yet before we open up the countryside. Open it too soon and we will have a backlash and we will be back with a lot more cases around the country.

/// END ACT ///

British authorities are reporting significant progress in the struggle against hoof-and-mouth disease, with nearly 11-hundred cases reported. But they warn its complete eradication is still months away.

As for Britain's tourist trade, the impact of hoof and mouth disease will be felt long after that. (Signed)

NEB/TR/GE/JWH