Tourism industry uses study to defend $500m oil spill plea

Results from a recent study have been used to back a US Travel Association assertion that USD500 million spent on an emergency marketing campaign now will offset losses incurred from the BP oil spill.

Commissioned by the US Travel Association, the Oxford Economics study revealed, at worst, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico could cost the Gulf region's tourism industry up to USD22.7 billion over three years.
 
At best, tourism would return to normal levels by the end of 2011, the industry still losing USD7.6 billion.

The study, ?Potential Impact of the Gulf Oil Spill on Tourism?, used the 1979 Ixtoc spill off Mexico's coast as comparison, noting it took beaches in that region three years to return to pre-spill conditions.

According to the study a marketing campaign could offset projected losses.

?[W]e found tourism marketing campaigns to yield a return of $5 to $64 in visitor spending for every dollar spent on marketing,? the report said.

After the spill, BP was quick to proffer Florida USD25 million for a marketing campaign, but recently declined the request of a further USD50 million, reported local media.

Sourced=etravelblackboardasia