WITH flooding continuing to cause disruption in large parts of South-West England, businesses are beginning to assess the long-term effects.

While structural damage is set to run into millions of pounds, an even greater financial loss is feared if tourists cancel holidays in the region. One holidaymaker, from Denmark, posted a message on Trip- Advisor recently, asking if she should consider cancelling a summer visit to the West Country because of the floods.

In Devon alone, tourism provides 73,000 jobs and the annual influx of visitors is about 36.5 million.

Tourist board Visit Devon fears that media coverage showing closed train lines may put people off visiting this half-term holiday, but is keen to impress that with only eight per cent of people arriving by train, most visitors will not be affected.

“Tourism is a key industry for Plymouth and the whole of our region, and we are still highly accessible, with good road networks via the M5,” says Amanda Lumley, of Destination Plymouth.

Those who do choose to travel by rail, however, can take advantage of deals launched to reinvigorate interest in the region. Any customer buying an advance ticket for a journey with CrossCountry (crosscountry trains.co.uk) to or from any station west of Exeter, need only buy a ticket to or from Exeter St David’s station.

Travel is free for the rest of the journey. This means that someone travelling from Manchester to Penzance could buy an advance ticket for as little as £53 for the 350-mile trip.

Meanwhile, businesses continue to batten down the hatches – not only against ongoing storms, but also the potential drop in visitor numbers.

“So far, we have not seen an impact due to the adverse weather, other than added pressure on our business from protecting the building against storm damage,” says Dr David Gibson, managing director at the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth.

“The impact on the aquarium may well be more during the February half-term holidays as people travel further for a family day out.”