Hospitality Industry Blames Media for Reservation Cancellations on Gulf Coast

It's all the media's fault, apparently.

Carol Dover, president and CEO of the 10,000-member Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and others in the hospitality industry blamed an unspecified number of coastal cancellations on reports that the oil spill caused by the explosion and sinking of the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon oil rig could reach Florida's shores.

"Those who are thinking about canceling your plans for your Florida vacation, please don't," she said.

Tourists are being scared away from the Gulf by constant reports that oil might wind up on the beaches, Dover said in a Pensacola press conference with Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink. Hotels and restaurants are facing empty rooms and empty tables, and some condominum rentals have been canceled. But the beaches are free of oil, and "inaccurate" reports are giving the impression that beaches are already or will soon be mucked up she said.

"We need your help getting the word out that the beach is still the beach," Dover said.

Did we ever say it wasn't? Did I miss something? A story? A blog?

Maybe it was the story reporters across the state wrote to sympathize with Gulf Coast businesses.

The bottom line is, nobody knows for sure whether the oil will strike Florida's shores, or even which shores will be impacted.

But, with or without negative media coverage, the massive slick out there is going to have an impact on the coast and coastal activities. There's plain no getting around it.