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Comment by Tripatini on July 18, 2010 at 2:20pm

From Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Facebook page, July 18:

Alabama Gulf Coast: "CITIZEN JOURNALISTS TO ARRIVE IN GULF SHORES! Twenty outstanding high school students will descend on Gulf Shores, Alabama, for an up-close and personal view of what is happening to our water, our beaches, our community, and, as Citizen Journalists, tell the stories."

Comment by Tripatini on July 18, 2010 at 2:17pm

Comment by Tripatini on July 17, 2010 at 4:12pm

From Los Angeles Times travel section, July 18:

Gulf beach Resorts Persist in the Face of the Oil Spill
Here's a look at destinations from Louisiana east to the Florida Panhandle.
Gulf Coast
by Millie Ball

"...for now, visitors will have to navigate the effects of the spill, which often vary from day to day. Beaches that have been touched by tar balls and oil from the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion that killed 11 men April 20 extend 550 miles, from the Texas coast to the Florida Panhandle.

It's almost impossible to say which beaches will be pristine by the time you are ready to take your vacation here because the situation is so changeable. We can say that Grand Isle, La., has been damaged. We can say that others have been too but have managed to clean up. For now.

...The fishing village of Grand Isle, La., for instance, draws serious anglers who stay in its camps and unpretentious accommodations. Casino hotels dominate the eastern end of Mississippi's beaches. High-rise condos and pastel houses on stilts, music clubs and a couple of honky-tonks attract families and couples to Gulf Shores, Ala.

A little farther east are Florida's resorts, where water often is varying shades of green. There's Pensacola Beach on skinny Santa Rosa Island; Destin, which has seemingly every conceivable type of lodging, restaurant and activity; Sandestin, with 1,800 houses, hotels and condos and four 18-hole golf courses stretching over 2,400 acres from the Gulf front to Choctawatchee Bay; the original planned beach community of cottages in Seaside, Fla., praised by Britain's Prince Charles and copied the world over; and busy spring break favorite Panama City at the eastern end of the panhandle.

Grand Isle, La.:
The oil hit the island about a month after the explosion, washing onto the beach, drenching birds and turtles. The government closed oyster beds and fishing grounds and swimming in the offshore waters.

Most events have been canceled, though a daylong Grand Isle Alive concert is scheduled for Saturday during what would have been the Tarpon Rodeo. Performers include Three Dog Night, LeAnn Rimes and Little River Band; the aim is to raise $1 million to rebuild fishing and tourism here.

Landry is hoping visitors will return in the fall to walk the nature trails, look for bald eagles in nearby Golden Meadow and Morgan City and see birds on their way south.

Alabama
Three hours east of New Orleans is a manmade beach at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Point Clear. Three orange booms have been in place in case the oil seeps into Mobile Bay, which the hotel and its beach face.

Generations of Southerners consider the Grand Hotel a second home. They return repeatedly to enjoy a beach vacation beside oaks, magnolias and azaleas."

Comment by Tripatini on July 17, 2010 at 1:03pm

From Gulf Shores/Orange Beach CVB Facebook page, July 17:

Joel Cameron: "Weather and beach have been great at GSP! Beaches and water are clean. Some noticeable tar balls, but overall in great condition. The clean up crews have been staged in this area doing minor clean up. Still have a few weeks of summer left people. Get on down here!" 2 hours ago

Comment by Tripatini on July 17, 2010 at 1:00pm

Comment by Tripatini on July 16, 2010 at 2:05pm

Comment by Tripatini on July 16, 2010 at 1:31pm

From Alabama's Press Register, July 16:

"Analysts with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say that winds are expected to be from the south through Sunday -- blowing in the direction that normally drives oil onshore on the northern Gulf Coast.

But the NOAA oil spill forecasters are predicting that Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida will not see anything more than tarballs this weekend.

...After this morning's overflight, Orange Beach's spotter reported that the back bays of Orange Beach seem clear of any heavy sheen and surface oil, though beaches in the Orange Beach area have light "non-metallic" sheen and in some areas near Lagoon Pass in Gulf Shores, a small amount of surface oil is being washed ashore."

The spotter did say that "other than these few concerns, everything else seems to be clear of any type of oil or sheen." (View overflight assessment map below.)

The NOAA forecasters did say that trajectories indicate oil from the source region may begin spreading north and west over the next few days due to the onshore winds. Still, the "observed floating oil from [Thursday's] overflights and satellite analysis is not expected to landfall within the forecast period, but scattered tarballs may continue to impact previously impacted shorelines."

Comment by Tripatini on July 16, 2010 at 1:02pm

From NY Times, July 16:

Texas Remains Stoic as Spill Hits Its Shores
by Melena Ryzik

"GALVESTON, TX -- This island city, a tourist destination surrounded by drill operations and refineries, is being reminded anew about those risks, now that oil and other mysterious substances have been washing up on the shores — the first time the impact of the oil spill has touched Texas.

The mayor, Joe Jaworski, began a whirlwind of promotional events and appearances, canvassing beaches and creating a video to remind people that it was still business as usual in town.

'O.K., so tar balls have washed up, and I think we’d all agree, it’s not a disaster, it’s a nuisance,' Mr. Jaworski said in an interview, after doing a radio broadcast with a visiting Houston D.J. from the lobby of one of Galveston’s largest resorts.

...Lucy Nashed, a spokeswoman for Governor Perry, said the state was taking “aggressive steps” to deal with the spill. 'Now that the oil has reached our shores, we expect both BP and the federal government to treat Texas the same as other states that have been impacted by this disaster,' she said.

Keeping tourism afloat is crucial for Galveston, which is still recovering from the devastating impact of Hurricane Ike in 2008. In the aftermath, 10,000 of the city’s 60,000 residents permanently fled. Many who stayed are still awaiting federal money to rebuild. Tourist shops offer books documenting “The Storm” and businesses have signs pointing to the high-water mark. Some reopened barely a year ago.

...Others are shrugging off the news about the beaches, which have seen oil many times before. In the 1970s and ’80s, slicks and tar balls were such a common sight on the beach that owners of vacation houses stocked their patios with baby oil and WD-40 for guests to clean off with, and regular visitors kept a separate pair of 'tar sandals.'

Teresa Sauer came to the beach from nearby Santa Fe, Tex., with her sister, Melisa Packard, and five children between them. 'It’s been on the news and we decided to get up and come today, just to have a little fun in the sun,' Ms. Sauer said. 'I don’t think it’s harmful to have a few tar balls. I think it’s normal, with all the ships coming through.'

She added: 'I’m alert, but I’m not alarmed.'"

Comment by Tripatini on July 15, 2010 at 8:20pm

From WLOX web site (Biloxi/Gulfport, Mississippi), July 15:

Tourism Leaders Say Conventions Key to Long Term
by Danielle Thomas

"A recent ABC News poll says 70 percent of Gulf Coast residents worry the oil leak's negative impact on tourism will be long term. Tourism leaders believe to make it through this crisis, the coast needs to sell itself to people ready to take vacations now and those making future plans. They said that landing large scale conventions and meetings may determine how long the economic fallout lasts.

Coast casino leaders say summer is their busiest time of year. So along with sending out packets about special deals, Beau Rivage is letting customers know what is actually going on with the oil on Mississippi.

'I think the biggest obstacle right now for tourism is the perception problem,' said Mary Cracchiolo-Spain, Beau Rivage spokesperson. 'I think people all over the nation and in our primary markets are not sure what's happening down here and are not sure if we're covered in oil or not.'

This month's convention of more than 20 lieutenant governors could help improve the perception. Lieutenant Governor Phil Bryant said the event won't be all work and no play, as several outings are planned to show off what our area has to offer.

'We want them to go back to Wisconsin and Minnesota and Maryland and say, 'You've got to go the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It's beautiful. The hospitality is great. It's the best people in the world, wonderful seafood,' Lt. Gov. Bryant said. 'I think it will generate additional business.'

Tourism leaders say the coast can't afford to wait until after the oil is gone to market to convention organizers because those types of plans aren't made overnight.

Harrison County Tourism Commission Director Richard Forester said, 'The major part of our business is conventions and meetings. That's two, three, four, five years out. We definitely have a concern about that. I have been doing everything we can to address that in a very up front and credible way with all of our clients and with all of our meeting folks that we deal with.'

The National Lieutenant Governors Association will meet July 27 to July 30."

Comment by Tripatini on July 15, 2010 at 1:39pm

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