Most of the restrictions imposed on travel and leisure activities as a result of the foot-and-mouth crisis have now been lifted and the midlands tourism board has embarked on a huge promotional drive to make up for lost business.
Mr Norman Black, senior tourism officer of the East Coast and Midlands Regional Tourism Authority, said the region was beginning to get back on its feet but "we still have a distance to go".
"We have lost a considerable amount of business, particularly angling, which it would be difficult to recover from this season." He said foot-and-mouth had had a major impact, especially on angling, walking and equestrian activities. Walking and trekking in the Slieve Bloom mountains was forbidden while angling in lakes such as Lough Ennel and Lough Derravaragh was off limits.
About 16,000 anglers visit the region every year, mainly from Britain. "They will be down by at least 50 per cent this year," Mr Black said. Calls to tourist information offices in the region were also down between 50 and 70 per cent this April and May, on the same period last year.
Ms Frances Brophy, the tourism officer for Laois, said rural B&Bs had been "hit to an extent that you could not even put into words".
However, the regional tourism authority has embarked on an extensive home-market promotions programme, and is also contacting tour operators in the UK and farther afield in an attempt to drum up business.
Mr Black said the initiative was paying off as there had been a noticeable pick-up in business over the past two weeks.
Multyfarnam Holiday Village, close to Lough Derravaragh, is a cluster of holiday homes normally rented to anglers at this time of year. Ms Betty Egan said she was now getting bookings for July and August but the effects of foot-andmouth had been devastating. "Our occupancy rate is almost zero at the moment," she said.
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