MSNBC: Florida’s tourism feels pain from oil spill threat

[marmar]

Florida’s tourism feels pain from oil spill threat
‘The phones aren’t ringing’: Of threatened states, Florida has most to lose


By Pascal Fletcher
updated 7:19 p.m. ET, Tues., May 18, 2010

MIAMI - Florida's $60 billion-a-year tourism industry is already losing millions of dollars as a result of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, even though no confirmed oil contamination from it has yet hit the state's beaches, a top tourism marketing official said on Tuesday.

"Even without touching the ground, it's causing significant economic hardship in the state already," Will Seccombe, chief marketing officer of the state tourism marketing board, VISIT FLORIDA, told Reuters, estimating this at millions of dollars of lost visitor-related business.

Facing a potentially disastrous environmental and economic blow from the spreading slick, local tourism authorities are hoping a "100 percent transparent" information campaign will keep visitors still flocking to the famous Sunshine State.

But the discovery of tar balls on Monday on the beaches of Key West — the island holiday resort where writer Ernest Hemingway fished and partied — has raised alarm about the possibility of currents dragging the oil to Florida shores. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37220783/ns/travel-news/

[raccoon]

1. Alas, Babylon! nt

[flyingfysh]

2. they should look at the bright side

People going to the beach won't have to apply suntan oil.

[SoCalDem]

3. And hurricane season is right around the corner

:(

[marmar]

4. Yep......Bad confluence of circumstances.

nt