Tourist numbers travelling to Britain are still considerably affected by the foot-and-mouth outbreak of 2001.

The terrorist attacks in America are likely to cost UK tourism £1bn in lost visitor numbers in the last three months of 2001.

Tourism chiefs claim American and Japanese tourists are cancelling trips to Britain because they fear catching mad cow disease from the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

Tony Blair is set to announce £120m of loans to bolster the British tourist industry and the rural economy after the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

The rural tourist industry in the UK is losing about £100m a week because of foot-and-mouth.