The state of Louisiana is facing a local impact of reduced leisure tourism to the area
The gulf oil spill has had far reaching effects on the environment, as well as local businesses that depend on healthy marine life for business. The disaster will take years to recover from as cleanup efforts continue.
It isn’t just an environmental impact that is being felt, however. Louisiana’s state tourism agency estimates that income from leisure travel will tumble by as much as $691 million through the year 2013. Estimates of the number of tourists for 2011 has been revised to 17.6 million from an originally expected 18.3 million. Tourism revenue for the year is now project to be $8.55 billion, which $6.06 billion of that being for leisure spending.
“It means we have a challenge,” is what Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne said.
The state’s biggest problem with travel tourism at the moment is one of perception according to Dardenne. He indicated people don’t realize that oil is not still washing ashore, and that much of the cleanup to public areas has already been completed.
On a bright note for the local economy, business travel has picked up significantly. This due to media, cleanup crews and government officials visiting the area. It’s expected that the money spent on business travel in the area will pick up by roughy $395 million through 2013.
It has certainly helped fill the gap while leisure travel is down.
