Daily clean-up operations have continued throughout the winter to collect oil lumps on French beaches

Bookings are on average down by 50% compared with those made last year, according to a study conducted by the tourism board for the Aquitaine region which stretches from Bordeaux to Biarritz.

A promotion campaign is being planned for mid-March in France and abroad to breathe new life into tourism, which is one of the region's most important industries.

AQUITAINE COASTAL TOURISM 1.5bn euros 60% of tourism industry's turnover 27,000 permanent jobs 45,000 seasonal jobs

Foreign tourists are also said to be shunning the area, according to the report, in particular German visitors who are said to be particularly sensitive to the impact of environmental disasters such as that caused by the Prestige.

Many local industries, such as the spa centres the region is famous for, have also been affected because of unfounded fears over polluted water, local reports say.

Oyster producers have seen their sales drop by almost 40% during the Christmas period, while fish prices have plummeted by between 20% and 40% - even though their products remain unaffected by the oil pollution.

This does not necessarily mean the summer season will be a complete write-off as reservations may yet resume, observers say.

Beaches off-limit

Most beaches in the area remain closed except those in the Gironde area around Bordeaux, but are expected to be re-opened in time for the Easter holidays.

This is to facilitate the clean-up operations ahead of the high tourist season in the summer, local authorities say.

Daily clean-up operations have been continuing throughout the winter to collect oil lumps which started landing on French beaches after the Prestige broke in two and sank off the coast of north-west Spain in November last year.