UNITED Tourism leaders in the New Forest have shown the UK the way forward in riding out the foot-and-mouth crisis, according to the government.

While the historic landscape remained untouched by the virus, open land was still closed off to the public during the spring as a precautionary measure to protect livestock.

Though hotels, shops, pubs and other businesses initially lost thousands of pounds while holiday-makers stayed away, a concerted national publicity campaign helped draw them back and saved 2001 from economic disaster.

During a visit to the area, Minister for Tourism Dr Kim Howells paid tribute to the way the crisis had been handled. And he backed the model of teamwork developed between the district council and the New Forest Tourism Association which had helped pull the area through.

The two groups had linked up to create a "recovery plan", promoting the Forest through roadshows at London railway stations, media advertisements, a postcard campaign and competitions.

"In many other parts of the country there was tension between the instrests of tourism and agriculture during the foot and mouth outbreak," said district council tourism manager Tony Climpson.

"But in the Forest, these problems were avoided because all the organisations were very keen to work together.

"We are hoping the partnership model we have developed could be extended and become the blueprint for a new approach to tourism management around the country.

"The positive reaction from the minister will help us to take this forward."