A HAMPSHIRE couple have launched a new travel company to allow UK tourists to help the tsunami relief effort.

Many of the areas worst affected by the disaster have economies reliant on tourism and will be hard hit by a drop-off in bookings by travellers.

But the Different Travel Company aims to allow tourists to fly to areas devastated by the waves and spend part of their break helping locals rebuild.

The not-for-profit venture plans an initial tour to Sri Lanka in May and has linked up with the Rotary Club of East Colombo, which will assign tourists to projects in the Galle area, according to their work experience and skills.

Tourists could find themselves helping to build an orphanage for 200-300 children, rebuilding and re-equipping one of the 144 schools destroyed by the tsunami or providing psychological counselling for the victims of the disaster.

Any profit made by the DTC, which is based in Marchwood, will be handed to the rotary club in Sri Lanka. The idea was thought up by Adrian Yalland, managing director of tourism public relations specialists Eclipse PR, and his wife Sarah who has business contacts in the area, as they watched the aftermath of the waves on TV.

Adrian said: "We are frequent visitors to the area on both business and leisure.

"The areas hit by the tsunami are well known to us, and we wanted to do something more than just give money.

"There is no doubt that the economies of many impoverished areas of the world hugely benefit from tourism.

"However, in some areas whole communities have become dependent upon it, and traditional industries and farming have been abandoned in favour of tourism-linked activity.

"This means that a natural disaster which threatens tourism can potentially undermine whole communities.

"Furthermore, it is only right that when relatively wealthy tourists enjoy the benefits of tourism, they should do so responsibly, and the best way to do this at the moment will be spending a holiday rebuilding the infrastructure of areas devastated by the tsunami.

"I am excited about what we are doing! The Rotary Club is keen to use the professional skills and experience of visitors. We hope to provide them with many willing volunteers."

Visit www.different-travel.com for more details.