Gulf, Florida and the Keys Suffering from Glaring Misperceptions about the Oil Spill

(Dive Travel Business News - August 10, 2010) -- A recent study by online travel company Travelocity reports that the misperceptions about the Deep Horizon Oil Spill on Gulf Coast travel plans may take far longer for the travel industry to fix by press releases alone.

There has been progress in stopping the leak in the Gulf since the well was capped several weeks ago:  The outflow of oil appears to have stopped and the process of permanently sealing the well may be complete with the next ten days.

Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and northwest Florida have all experienced oiled shorelines. Beaches have been cleaned up and are monitored daily. The vast majority of beaches is now open to the public.

Current  projections by scientists in the field indicate it is very unlikely that the Western Gulf Coast, South Florida, the Florida Keys, and the East Coast will experience any effects from the remaining oil on the surface of the Gulf. 

However, the online travel agency's recently conducted poll of over 2,000 Americans found that many travelers believe the oil has spread far beyond its actual reach.

Travelocity's findings shows glaring misperceptions: One in four respondents named the Florida Keys as one of the top three destinations they thought were impacted by the spill. One in four also named Panama City as affected, although the beaches are clean and open. 

While many travel companies -- including Travelocity -- have launched pages dedicated to providing information about Gulf Coast travel, misperceptions abound. Tourism websites are doing their best to keep travelers informed of the actual status of their beaches:

Louisiana: Most of the Louisiana Gulf Coast is unaffected by the oil spill. The primary area affected by the spill is around the southeast coast of Louisiana including Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany and Terrebonne parishes.

Mississippi:  All barrier islands in the Mississippi district are open.  Scattered incidents of tar balls reaching the main shoreline continue and beach clean-up crews are present.  Beach advisories remain in effect in Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties.  These beaches are not closed and beach goers are advised to be aware of their surroundings while recreating.

Alabama:  Alabama's Gulf Shore Beaches are open, clean and swimming with caution is permitted.

Florida:  There are only occasional sporadic sightings of tar balls being reported in parts of Northwest Florida from Gulf Islands National Seashore (near Pensacola) east to Deer Lake State Park, (northwest of Panama City).

According to NOAA, tar balls DO NOT pose a health risk to the average person. However, beachgoers are advised to be of their surroundings - they may encounter a tar ball on the beach.  If found, do not pick up or bury a tar ball. Report any tar ball sightings by calling 866-448-5816. Read about tar balls at NOAA's information site.

Without an aggressive program to change perceptions that the entire Gulf Coast is covered in oil, the tourism-dependent economies of Gulf Coast states could take a $23 billion hit over the next three years, according to a study conducted for the association by Oxford Economics USA.

Though it’s impossible to predict the long-term effect these misperceptions will have on tourism, it may be possible for tourism officials to lure travelers to the region with good deals. Though 24 percent of respondents said they were less interested in visiting the Gulf now than before the oil spill, more than one quarter of those said they would go if they found a compelling deal. An additional 7 percent who were never interested in visiting would consider a trip if they found a good deal.  

Gulf Travel Oil Spill Advisory Links:
http://oilspill.louisianatravel.com/office-tourism-update (Louisiana)
http://www.gulfcoast.org/visitors/deepwaterupdates/ (Mississippi)
http://www.thebeachfacts.com/ Gulf Shores (Alabama)
http://www.visitflorida.com/florida_travel_advisory/  (Florida)
 

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