Not exactly a shock:
Seventeen percent of potential regional tourists have indicated they have canceled or delayed a trip to Louisiana because of the ongoing oil spill and pollution problems resulting from the Deepwater Horizon-BP rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a study commissioned by the state's tourism agency.
Melody Alijani, director of research and development for the tourism office in the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, said the survey was taken among 903 residents of the state's regional tourist markets that stretch from San Antonio, Texas, to Pensacola, Fla.
The survey, taken by Market Dynamics Research Group of New Orleans, said that before the spill, 44 percent of those surveyed indicated they planned to visit the state. After the rig accident, 17 percent canceled or postponed plans because of the spill, and 83 percent indicated they still would travel to the Pelican State.
These findings mirror a national survey cited by the Times-Picayune which revealed that the spill had caused the cancellation or delay of about one-quarter of planned travel to Louisiana. So far, BP has paid the state's tourism agency $15 million to help boost numbers.
Given that the annual economic impact of tourism to Louisiana is $8.3 billion, $15 million doesn't seem nearly enough to help the state rebuild it's battered image. Nonetheless, when it comes to making good on its promise to pay for the damage it has caused, BP continues to drag its feet.