BELEAGUERED tourist bosses mounted a concerted campaign yesterday to draw visitors back to the region's countryside.

A £50,000 advertising drive, unveiled at an emergency summit of the Northumbria Tourist Board in South Shields, has been prompted by the exodus of visitors from rural areas, in the wake of the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

The appeal to the public to return to the countryside was reinforced by deputy Agriculture Minister and Gateshead East MP Joyce Quinn, who fielded a barrage of questions from concerned hoteliers and tourist attraction bosses.

Northumbria Tourist Board chief executive Peter Sloyan warned that disaster threatened rural businesses, with projected losses of more than £1bn expected in the region's tourist trade.

Mr Sloyan said: "Rural businesses in the region have suffered from people staying away from the countryside, as had initially been advised.

"Quite naturally, visitors are confused about messages over whether they can go or not.

"The impact has been massive and sudden, with cancelled room bookings, closure of attractions and a complete collapse of inquiries."

He said that the epidemic, following the fuel crisis, floods, rail disruption and the introduction of minimum wages, had struck when small businesses were at their weakest.

"Our message is - the countryside is open to visitors and a warm welcome is awaiting everyone," he said.

"All we are asking is that people act responsibly and follow guidelines, such as avoiding all footpaths and bridleways that cross farmland.

Mrs Quinn promised Government help to rural businesses.

Responding to concerns about the impact of photographs of animals being burned, Mrs Quinn said the Government was not in charge of media portrayal of the crisis and could not "magic away those negative images".

But she said: "We'll try and identify ways of curbing negative media - to avoid photo-opportunities which have a negative effect on business here."

Up-to-date visitor information can be obtained on www.VisitNorthumbria.co