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The British Tourist Authority (BTA) is to hire an ad agency and a

PR agency to combat the steep drop in tourism caused by the foot and

mouth crisis.

Together with British Airways, Thistle Hotels and other undisclosed

companies in the tourism industry, the BTA plans to wage a PR campaign

in 27 overseas markets until the spread of foot and mouth has abated. It

will then launch an advertising campaign using e-mail, print and

broadcast. Sandie Dawe, BTA director of marketing and communications,

said: 'At the moment, advertising would be a waste of money. We have to

wait until we have turned a corner with foot and mouth, and then we can

go proactive.'

Dawe said the BTA would use e-mail to target its database of ten million

international visitors, alongside a variety of print and broadcast

advertising tailored to local markets.

The BTA will see PR and creative agencies drawn from COI Communications'

rosters. The COI will advise on the process, with representatives from

other national tourism boards - and possibly private companies - sitting

on the selection panel.

The BTA plans to shortlist three to four PR agencies, and an appointment

could be taken early next week.

The authority has yet to write a brief for the creative agencies, and

even if the progress of the disease were halted soon, advertising would

still have to wait until after the general election.

The campaign budget is unknown, but the work will be funded by both

public and private sources.

The BTA has requested pounds 22m from Westminster for the campaign,

while the travel industry will contribute additional funding.

The UK tourism industry brings in more than pounds 64bn a year and

employs 1.7 million people. The BTA estimates that the foot and mouth

crisis is costing pounds 120m a week in lost tourism.