The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has prompted my family and I to visit the Gulf Coast – not to volunteer and not to be disaster tourists, but to have fun and show people that there are still so many things to do on your Gulf Coast family vacation. Many travelers are cancelling their annual holiday, but this will have a detrimental effect on the communities that depend on tourists for revenue.
I know that many of you look forward to your annual beach vacation and you work hard to save up for that one week each year (we do, too). Many of the beach communities have already been impacted by oil and tar balls washing up on the shore and a good number of beaches have been closed because of potential health risks of going into the water.
Before you cancel your gulf coast family beach vacation, think long and hard about the decision. Do you really spend every second laying in that beach chair or swimming in the Gulf water? I know I don’t. I prefer to relax by the pool or sit on a balcony listening to the waves lap the shore and look out across the horizon to watch the sun set. My husband likes to play golf and the kids look forward to other activities such as go-cart racing or bumper boats. Plus, there are waterparks, outlet malls, and spas! We do cook many of our meals, but part of a vacation is about not having to cook. We’ll venture out of our lodging and enjoy some of the local cuisine.
If people cancel their Gulf Coast beach vacation, then these businesses will lose important revenue, which in turn may cause them to close down. Then, when the oil spill is over and the beaches are clean, all of our favorite places will no longer be in business when you decide to make a return visit.
Just to show you how much there is to do, here are a few images from our current stay at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. We’ve been having a blast and have yet to even get in the water, even though it’s still okay here. We’re headed out to the beach right now and we plan on swimming in the Gulf water.
Special thanks to Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort for hosting our stay.
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Thanks so much for not only going but also posting this! I am from the Gulf Coast area and my family still lives there. You are right about the decline in tourism being detrimental to the economy. They are already feeling the effects. Anyway, thanks again and I hope people respond to your call for support for these areas.
Found your site for the first time today and your post had direct relevance to the mission of my new destination site, SecondSpot.com. I highlighted it in my post today at http://secondspot.com/2010/07/dont-cancel-that-gulf-coast-vacation-just-yet/
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