Oil Spill Concerns Impact Gulf Hotel Bookings

No matter how available cheap airplane tickets aredisaster, but some of the loss is replaced by
or discount hotel rooms, concern over whetherthose coming to the communities to help in the
there may be oil on beaches is negativelyrecovery.
impacting hotel bookings in the Florida Panhandle. Hotels are complaining that there is no evidence
Reservations are down anywhere between 30 toof any oil on their beaches and pointing out that
50 percent compared to last year.charter fishing boats are successfully continuing
Ironically except for three beaches in Louisiana, alltheir operations, but the perception is that there is
of the Gulf's beaches are open, safe and clean. oil on Gulf beaches.
President Obama commented last week thatTo try to assuage unwarranted concerns about oil
"Americans can help by continuing to visit theproblems, many hotels have changed their
communities and beaches of the Gulf Coast." Thecancellation policies or offered to refund room
travel business is hurt during any publicized naturalrates if guests see any oil on the beach.