DATE=04/14/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-274914

TITLE=BRITAIN/HOOF-AND-MOUTH /TOURISM (L O)

BYLINE=TOM RIVERS

DATELINE=LONDON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Britain is in the midst of a four-day Easter holiday which usually marks the beginning of the country's spring travel season. But because of the hoof and mouth crisis, the British tourist industry has had little to celebrate this year, as Tom Rivers reports from London.

TEXT: There is a lot at stake this weekend. Britain's tourist industry has been hard-hit by the hoof-and-mouth crisis. The traditional Easter holiday period is the first weekend that tourist-related businesses in rural areas can expect to see a marked upturn after the slow winter months.

For the past week, British politicians, from Prime Minister Tony Blair on down, have been urging tourists to return to the country-side. Contrary to popular belief, Mr. Blair has been stressing, Britain is "open for business."

And it appears that message may be having some effect. Although generally, the tourist trade is down this weekend compared to previous years, Mary Lynch from the English Tourism Council says that trend is not uniform around the country.

/// LYNCH ACT ///

/// OPT /// Good Friday was good. /// END OPT /// Most people who were going, were going for day trips and the seaside, and some visitor attractions did very well. The very rural areas though are suffering. And that is because, I think, people are uncertain about what they'll find when they get there.

/// END ACT ///

Generally, they will find most areas open and they will find some great bargains as well, as the industry is dropping prices to entice tourists back to the British countryside.

If tourism does not improve dramatically over the next six months, analysts say many of the country's tourist-related businesses will be forced to close. (Signed)

NEB/TR/KL/TDW