“Survey: Gulf oil spill changes Alabamians' vacation patterns” plus 1 more

Survey: Gulf oil spill changes Alabamians' vacation patterns

Posted: 15 Sep 2010 10:55 AM PDT

Published: Wednesday, September 15, 2010, 12:49 PM Updated: Wednesday, September 15, 2010, 12:50 PM

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- A survey by Alabama State University finds that the Gulf oil spill caused significant changes in the summer vacation plans of Alabamians who normally go to the beach.

The random telephone survey of 596 adult Alabamians found that 44 percent usually take summer vacations, and 62 percent of those usually go to the beach. Twenty-eight percent of those Alabamians who usually go to the beach said they changed their plans because of the oil spill.

Poll director Myles Mayberry says that shows why the oil spill caused sales tax collections to drop in coastal counties.

The survey by ASU's Center for Leadership and Public Policy was conducted July 26 through Aug. 17 and has a sampling error margin of plus or minus four percentage points.

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured article: Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-Reporting of Falluja's Cancer Catastrophe.

Survey: Oil spill changes Ala. vacation patterns

Posted: 15 Sep 2010 02:48 PM PDT

Originally published September 15, 2010 at 10:37 a.m., updated September 15, 2010 at 4:36 p.m.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A survey released Wednesday by Alabama State University found the Gulf oil spill prompted a change in plans for about one-fourth of those in the state who traditionally go to the beach for their summer vacation.

The random telephone survey of 596 adult Alabamians also found that about one-third of the state's residents opt for the surf for vacations - underlining the impact of the spill on beach business this summer.

Of those answering the survey, 44 percent said they usually take summer vacations, and 62 percent of those said they choose the beach, including both the Alabama and Florida coasts.

Despite efforts to encourage beach tourism, 28 percent of those Alabamians who usually go to the beach said they changed their plans because of the oil spill.

The survey was conducted July 26 through Aug. 17 and has a sampling error margin of plus or minus four percentage points.

"When you are talking about one-fourth of the people who normally go to the beach, that's a perception problem," said Myles Mayberry, director of ASU's Center for Leadership and Public Policy.

The Montgomery university paid for the survey. Like all of Alabama's public colleges, it is dealing with budget cuts caused by a drop in Alabama's tax collections. ASU and other state universities could benefit if BP pays a $148 million claim that Alabama Gov. Bob Riley has filed for tax revenue lost due to the oil spill soiling Alabama beaches during the height of the tourist season.

Herb Malone, president of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism, said the core market of people within a five-hour drive, which includes Alabama, was down similar to the numbers in the survey, but the market beyond five hours was down much worse.

"Those people were less willing to take a risk with their family vacations," he said.

Mayberry said the oil spill survey focused on Alabama because so many citizens take a beach trip each summer, and Alabamians are likely to hear firsthand reports about beach conditions from neighbors who have been on vacation, rather than relying solely on news reports.

The survey found that most of those who canceled their traditional summer beach trips didn't go elsewhere, and couples or couples with children were more likely to cancel than singles. Mayberry speculated the couples with children changed their plans because parents would have a hard time taking children to the beach and then telling them they couldn't get in the water due to health concerns.

The survey comes as Alabama beaches use the shoulder season to try to make up for some of the business they lost this summer. Malone said rentals for Labor Day weekend were about 85 percent of 2009, which was a good indication that guests are coming back. Also, free concerts aimed at boosting tourism are coming up in Gulf Shores with Bon Jovi on Oct. 15 and Brad Paisley on Oct. 17.

Mayberry said he hopes to survey Alabamians in the spring to see if they have returned to tradition and are planning summer beach trips.

Vacation Rentals

Wednesday, September 15, 2010