Oil spill threatens holiday dreams
Source: Agencies |
May 12, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
DAYDREAMS of beach sunsets have been replaced by anxious Internet checks for many vacationers headed to the Gulf Coast, while hotel clerks there are busy answering calls about a massive oil spill and whether - just maybe - there's a shot at a refund. The answer is typically no.
Meanwhile, the phones are also steadily ringing for tourism officials hundreds of kilometers away at Atlantic Coast beaches such as Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, as they delicately try to lure vacationers away without appearing to profit from the disaster.
The angst is caused by the millions of liters of oil that have spewed from a well on the ocean floor since an offshore drilling rig exploded in the Gulf on April 20, killing 11 people. Balls of tar began washing up on the white sand beaches of Alabama's Dauphin Island over the weekend, while amounts ranging from globules to an oily sheen were coming ashore to the west.
Tourism officials from Louisiana to Florida - and their customers - are anxiously watching to see where else the slick could come ashore. Vacationers who have already booked are tracking the spill online, and many have been told they'll face a steep penalty for backing out.
Karen Muehlfelt tried to cancel her trip to Destin, Florida, but couldn't stomach the US$1,000 penalty. Her beachfront hotel assured her there were plenty of onshore activities, such as good golf courses and restaurants.
Traditional travel insurance won't help, because the spill is considered an act of man, not an act of God. Most travel insurance only pays off if travelers can't reach a destination or accommodations are closed, said Dan McGinnity, a spokesman for insurance company Travel Guard North America.
Meanwhile, the phones are also steadily ringing for tourism officials hundreds of kilometers away at Atlantic Coast beaches such as Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, as they delicately try to lure vacationers away without appearing to profit from the disaster.
The angst is caused by the millions of liters of oil that have spewed from a well on the ocean floor since an offshore drilling rig exploded in the Gulf on April 20, killing 11 people. Balls of tar began washing up on the white sand beaches of Alabama's Dauphin Island over the weekend, while amounts ranging from globules to an oily sheen were coming ashore to the west.
Tourism officials from Louisiana to Florida - and their customers - are anxiously watching to see where else the slick could come ashore. Vacationers who have already booked are tracking the spill online, and many have been told they'll face a steep penalty for backing out.
Karen Muehlfelt tried to cancel her trip to Destin, Florida, but couldn't stomach the US$1,000 penalty. Her beachfront hotel assured her there were plenty of onshore activities, such as good golf courses and restaurants.
Traditional travel insurance won't help, because the spill is considered an act of man, not an act of God. Most travel insurance only pays off if travelers can't reach a destination or accommodations are closed, said Dan McGinnity, a spokesman for insurance company Travel Guard North America.
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