NFU poster campaign promotes farm tourism (From Western Telegraph)

NFU poster campaign promotes farm tourism

A SURVEY carried out by the NFU has shown how deeply foot and mouth disease has affected farmhouse tourism.

The survey comes as NFU Cymru joins forces with Farmstay UK to launch a poster and leaflet campaign to tempt holidaymakers back to rural areas. The survey shows that 100% of Welsh farms questioned said they had been negatively affected by foot and mouth disease.

Forty seven per cent had to close their businesses completely and of those, over half were shut for up to 12 weeks.

The drop in trade since the disease struck on February 20th this year was, in most cases, massive, with a third saying they had lost up to 50% of their revenue. Twenty nine per cent said they had lost up to three-quarters of their trade, while for 14% it was worse still, with losses of 80% reported.

In monetary terms, the results made grim reading. While a third of those questioned had lost up to £2,500 in lost bookings, 20% said they had lost up to £20,000.

Nesta Thomas, proprietor of Lower Haythog Farm bed and breakfast, Spittal, who appears in the poster campaign, said: Only recently have bookings returned to their normal levels.

It has been an extremely difficult six months, even in Pembrokeshire, where we have been thankfully clear of the disease. We need to welcome tourists back to farm accommodation, which can provide a memorable holiday experience. Our guests always enjoy their stay and come back year after year.

NFU Cymru president Hugh Richards said: These survey results show the scale of the damage that foot and mouth has inflicted on farm tourism.

Diversification into tourism has been a lifeline for many farm businesses, but as this survey shows, foot and mouth has hit not only their farming business, but the tourism side too.

Our campaign aims to remind people what a fantastic place a farm is to take a break, be it for two weeks or two days. The Farmstay UK brochure is full of farmhouse cottages and bed and breakfasts which all offer the chance to get away from it all with beautiful countryside and the best home-cooking.

Posters and leaflets will be distributed to tourist information centres. To receive a copy of the Stay on a Farm guide telephone (01271) 336 141 or visit www.farmstay.co.uk.

CAPTION: NFU Cymru president Hugh Richards pictured with Nesta and Bill Thomas at the launch of the Stay on a Farm poster campaign. PICTURE: Meyrick Brown.