Studies Show BP Oil Spill Negatively Impacts Louisiana Tourism
Pam Breaux, Secretary of the Department of Louisiana Culture, Recreation and Tourism (CRT), meets with Ewell Smith, director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, to discuss joint promotion opportunities.
Southern Louisiana … along the Gulf coast … is the sportsman’s paradise, as well as a port of call for music lovers and food lovers from around the world. Yet, despite its active, vibrant and available culture, studies show that Louisiana tourism is down as a direct result the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion more than three months ago.
The Department of Louisiana Culture, Recreation and Tourism (CRT) has conducted two perception studies to help all the various tourism-related industries and organizations within Louisiana better understand how the oil spill is effecting the tourism industry and, consequently, the state’s economy.
Louisiana State Capitol.
Here is a snapshot of what the results are showing … a damaged brand image and reputation. Nationally, 26 percent of people who already had a trip to Louisiana planned are actively postponing or canceling the visit. At a regional level, only 17 percent of people with a scheduled trip are changing plans. The CRT attributes the difference to regional citizens having a better knowledge of local geography, and therefore a clearer understanding of affected vs. unaffected areas.
What this reveals is that better information flow and knowledge results in less concern and more openness to enjoy a vacation experience in southern Louisiana.
Tourism in Louisiana generates $8.3 billion annual spending in Louisiana businesses and employees 1 out of every 12 people in the state. Experts say it is too early to estimate the financial cost of this oil spill on Louisiana tourism because the crisis is not over, in reality or in the public’s perception.
“Certainly along the southeast coast we’ve seen actual damage to the tourism industry,” says Pam Breaux, Secretary of the CRT. “For instance, recreational fishing.” Fishing waters that have been regularly opened and closed have deterred sport fishermen and frustrated commercial fishermen.
Like the seafood industry as a whole, tourism in southern Louisiana is suffering from consumer misconceptions.
“It’s our goal to do the right kind of advertising to answer people’s questions,” says Breaux. “We are working hard to ensure people from around the region and around the country that Louisiana’s tourism is open to business!”
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