Oil Spill Taking a Toll on Fla. Tourism

(CBS)  People along the Florida panhandle have seen a few tar balls show up, emphasis on "few." The message in Destin is that the water is clean and the world famous sugar sands are largely pristine and open for business.

Crowds of vacationers were out enjoying fun and sun along the lovely Gulf Coast near Destin Sunday but behind the scenes officials are working frantically to ward off what they fear is as an economic disaster reports CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers.

"The perception that everybody has is: No way am I going to the beaches of Florida right now because if I get in the water I'm going to get tar all over me. And it's just isn't happening today," said Dennis McKinnon, the Escambia County Chairman of the Tourism Commission.

Special Section: Disaster in the Gulf

And it won't happen for the next few days according to the Coast Guard. They're out patrolling three miles offshore with skimmer and cleaning vessels but finding nothing significant.

"We have a crisis of reality of what is actually going on with oil, but probably even more damaging potentially is a crisis of perception," said Roger Dow of the U.S. Travel Association.

Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are already taking a hit due to reduced tourist bookings, but with its 770 miles of Gulf Coast line, Florida stands to lose the most which is why the state is running pro-tourism ads.

Just a 10 percent decline in tourism related business in Florida's 23 Gulf Shore counties could cost the Sunshine state $2.2 billion in revenue.

Local air brush artist Duffy Peoples said, "I'm nervous. Our livelihood depends on tourism."

For 10 years now Peoples has airbrushed T-shirts at a Destin area beach shop but is making far fewer these days and he blames the spill.

"My business is down 25 percent," he said. He says he's worried it will get worse.

And he's is right to worry. Officials say Alabama's tourism is down 50 percent so far and imagery that shows a large plume of oil heading this way could wreck Florida's season as well.

[brianbwb2011]

"by SoCal_Gridlock June 20, 2010 9:45 PM EDT
Are you talking about 2000? Florida would not have mattered had Al Gore won his own state of Tennessee."

Just shows your "baggertude".

Florida would still have mattered because the voting rights of American citizens was violated, people were denied the right to vote, and to have their vote counted, a crime based on their ethnicity.

The crime of the fraud, ad the racist nature of it is even more egregious and important than the matter of who won the state.

Presidents come and go, but racism, once we finally defeat it, will never be allowed to return.

The fact that this is lost on you is no surprise, you "baggers" have no regard for the rights of other ethnic groups, and it would be fitting if you all lived in areas now soaked in crude, maybe then I would not be concerned at all about the loss.

[Lifeson2112]

You're not talking about the 2000 election where democrats were too stupid to fill out a ballot correctly are you?

[vsmit]

I was in Palm Beach County Florida and voted on the now famous "Butterfly" ballot. It wasn't that hard. Don't blame the system for idiots.

[optimystic]

Unfortunately, it isn't just a perception. I have family in the area and I know it isn't that bad yet. But the keyword here is "yet". The bread and butter tourist is not local and has to plan and book in advance. How long will it still be okay?

[riptide213]

Eco Disaster Tourism, a new progressive ten year US government non rejuvenation economic plan for Americas repulsively tainted Gulf Coast region.

Repugnantly now revered as Americas Toxic Gulf.

Warning swimming in smudged water, breathing polluted flume filled air, and irritating rash causing skin contact with grimy tar coated sand may be hazardous to your health.

All compliments of unequaled private business command and control over US government safety oversight, contempt to seek profits unchecked at any cost in collusion with slipshod government enforcement policy, and inept legislation forsaking our environmental protection.

Did your elected government representative help or hinder this Eco Disaster Tourism conspiracy and will your region of US be next to benefit from such detrimental government environmental contempt.

Only trouble any and all tourists will have on each perilously ruined vacation visit to Americas newest eco disaster zone is deciding what manmade toxic industrial pollution to contaminate themselves or families with first.

Its a tough choice with so many pungent vapors and so much repulsive stagnating gunk to appreciate.

Free flowing oil or indiscriminately dispensed oil retardant chemicals, no clear cut tourist friendly data on which toxic concoction is more long term harmful.

Please check fine print clause exemptions of your new government mandated Health Insurance policy before making any vacation reservations or travel plans.

Also look up Agent Orange, Bhopal disaster, and Love Canal.

Choosing best vantage point to literately absorb full effects of toxins will depend on changing weather conditions. Lurking blobs of oil move unpredictably, so stay vigilant to enjoy the best pollution watching experience. Always have your camera at the ready to snap best action photos as tar globules rise to the surface between collection boom barriers. Vacation memories are forever.

Not to miss an opportunity, innovative local capitalism is thriving at its very best despite escalating catastrophe.

Fashionable OSHA approved respirators and protective overalls in all sizes are readily available in all Gulf Coast souvenir shops. Beaches ruined for decades.

Finding that perfect negative impact ingestion level of carcinogens will vary from person to person similar to sensitivity reaction in various incapacitated wildlife or in this case wild death species.

As one of Americas top environmental disasters, you really need to check out this grotesque manmade eco insult since scale of this tragic event will shock and awe you to appreciate our nations lead in global environmental desecration and exploitation.

Harmful take your breath away noxious fumes and putrefaction better than any third world standard, so come on down and see your tax money and big business not working oil well with each other.

Morbid curiosity may motivate day visitors, but potential long term health risk to boost profits for mandated health insurance schemes is a genuinely patriotic reason to expose your family to these hidden dangers during longer stay vacations.

If you are more action oriented, you can lend a tainted hand laboriously degreasing a variety of suffering birds or other innocent creatures only for them to succumb to oil ingestion anyway or help unceremoniously remove listless dead bodies of once majestic dolphins from tar balled soiled beaches.

Perhaps participating in a shoreline observer role to report toxic hot spots sounds less distressing than animal carcass counting.

Regions sub tropical climate allows for outdoor HAZMAT cleanup activities year round, so all Gulf Coast vacationers to fall ill from pollution can return throughout the year. Nature haters and outdoor trash enthusiasts will find temperate climate and nature thrashing activities second to none.

Whether you take an eco disaster tour to view dead wildlife or rent a kayak to glide atop pretty rainbow oil slick or paddle up one of many petroleum spoiled rivers and bayous, you are certain to unwind while experiencing nature decimated at its most hideously unpristine.

Visitors are always excited to get up close and personal views of hundreds of frightened species of oil contaminated birds, animals, and reptiles, including several threatened and endangered species that will now definitely call the Gulf their final resting place.

You will certainly find that visiting a newly contaminated Gulf Coast offers you a wide variety of unhealthy choices and nauseating experiences, from hottest oil rig fires explosive action to rife post rig mishap natural disaster messes and everything eco foul, dirty, and ruined you can imagine in between.

A true novel American vacation waits this summer in the nations contemporary Toxic Gulf, an earth unfriendly, ungreen, unclean, small business commercially dead and hazardous health zone.

Spill thrill of a lifetime.

[skeeterandbucky]

You probably wrote this drivel while driving down the highway in your gas guzzler. Have you done anything to reduce your own waste of fossil fuel based products? I seriously doubt it. Try doing something to help the situation through clean up or direct donations to relief efforts and then go back and read a history book. You'll find that this is not the fault of any one administration but many. You'll also discover that as a country we're great at predicting disaster but have a pretty crappy history of dealing with them or their potentiality. Happy reading, if you know how.

[larrryshrine]

It's not that hard to conserve. I drive less than five miles a day (I know some of you don't have that option.) My wife does the same. Our cars get 27 mpg in town, mid thirties on the road. We walk to the store, even though I have a service dog. We use biodegradable bags, or take our cotton ones to the store. We eat organic foods, and buy as little plastic as possible - I know that one's really hard, but we try. We don't drink out of disposable cups.

It all starts with the individual. One individual can turn into many, and if we all did just a little, we would be less reliant on oil. Just some thoughts. Thanks.

[jfoxrun]

Kenneth Salazar should be indicted for his role in the Gulf Oil Tragedy. At his discretion the MMS approved more drilling permits than ever, and at his discretion they ignored what ANYONE would recommend for safe operations. Salazar is a lawyer not an environmentalist. His rapist approach to the nation's natural resources earned him the well-deserved nickname of THE ECOCIDEsalaCZAR -- and the President locked us all in the same room with him.

[gig76]

The Gulf of Mexico will soon become known as Dead Sea II. No oxygen will be produced there, so there will less oxygen in the region, making the earth hotter and more violent in scientific nature. Secondly, who cares how much is flowing out of the well now. America is doomed since Cheney, Palin, and their greedy pals are having party after party for this disaster. Yes, they are having celebration parties all over the nation and world. Their masterplan worked. They will be in control of Americans in November. Republicans will rule us all and we are all screwed. America is over. We are doomed. We might as well get use to being slaves again. Jim Crow laws in effect according to Cheney, Palin, GOP, and Tea Time Party members. It's not even November, and Palin is getting her Presidential speech ready, and Cheney and his darling attorney daughter is getting ready to become the next US Attorney General. Wow! How the tide changes! We are already slaves to the Republican party and Cheney is still in control. Get used to this, this is Cheney's evil plan that worked perfectly into his favor. God loves Cheney and his evil empire. It's clear that God favors Cheney and Palin.

[Lifeson2112]

Tin foil hat alert!

[mmsavage1]

Bottom Line - BP supply respirators for workers!!

My letter to Gulf residents.
http://www.urbanconservancy.org/letters/gulf-coast-cleanup-caution-urged

The continuing health problems of people involved in cleanup of the Exxon Valdez spill present urgent lessons for the Gulf cleanup crews. http://www.lvrj.com/news/exxon-valdez-oil-risks-spur-warning-for-gulf-cleanup-crews-93258964.html
My name is Merle Savage, a female general foreman during the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) beach cleanup in 1989, and one of the 11,000+ cleanup workers, who is suffering from health issues from that toxic cleanup, without compensation from Exxon.
Dr. Riki Ott visited me in 2007 to explain about the toxic spraying on the beaches. She also informed me that Exxon?s medical records, and the reports that surfaced in litigation by sick workers in 1994, had been sealed from the public, making it impossible to hold Exxon responsible for their actions.

Beach crews breathed in crude oil that splashed off the rocks and into the air ? the toxic exposure turned into chronic breathing conditions, central nervous system problems, neurological impairment, chronic respiratory disease, leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors, liver damage, and blood disease. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5632208859935499100

My web site is devoted to searching for EVOS cleanup workers who were exposed to the toxic spraying, and are suffering from the same illnesses that I have. Our summer employment turned into a death sentence for many ? and a life of unending medical conditions for the rest of Exxon?s Collateral Damaged. http://www.silenceinthesound.com/stories.shtml

[retm-w]

Hey they have Disney World and the Atlantic coast beaches, so it's not a total loss like the other states.

[lukesmith123]

I am currently staying outside of Destin, there is a lot more than a "few" tarballs in the water

[brianbwb2011]

Isn't Florida the state that threw away the votes of its "black" citizens, so that the party of de-regulation could cheat it's way into power?

A little poetic justice...

[SoCal_Gridlock]

Are you talking about 2000? Florida would not have mattered had Al Gore won his own state of Tennessee.

[Lickedy]

It's just a little natural sun tanning lotion, it's a great sun blocker too !