The foot and mouth crisis that is crippling the farming community in Devon has a ripple effect into other industries and is having similar devastating consequences. Hotels, guesthouses and other tourist related enterprises have seen a drop in business and they only expect things to get worse.

Tourism minister, Janet Anderson, toured the South West to get input from the stakeholders as to their current situation and then to take that information to the Prime Minister and cabinet so that they might find a way to include the tourism sector in the list of recipients receiving government assistance in the crisis.

Restrictions have been put in place for travelling into the area. The government has closed off the moors, banned walking across fields, cancelled cross country running races, horse races and hunting meetings in an effort to contain the foot and mouth outbreak. The traditional Ten Tors event in Dartmoor, that brings hundreds of people to the area, has been cancelled. These are the activities and events that bring people to Devon and the South West, without these people will not come, killing the tourism business at the peak time of the year.

According to Plymouth Business School the South West area takes in about £780 million per year from tourists, this is 50% more than the farming sector. Without government relief during this crisis, the industry in the area may collapse having wide ranging effects on the local economy and perhaps even nationally.

There are numerous ways the government might step in and offer assistance. They might provide soft loans to tourist traders to help them get through the difficult time. They could also defer tax payment and rates bills. The minister will likely discuss options with her peers before the government makes decisions on the issue.

The last foot and mouth outbreak occurred in 1967. This time around, the government has chosen to slaughter all animals in the affected areas to try and contain the deadly virus that many believe could spell the end to the British farmer who is still reeling after the BSE crisis. Widespread rumours that the disease had spread to humans caused panic, but tests have revealed that this is not the case. All fifteen suspected cases were proven not to be foot and mouth.

There has been widespread debate over the use of taxpayers' money to compensate farmers affected by this crisis. The Tourism Minister might face harsh criticism for suggesting the benefits be extended to the tourism industry.