More reason why oil drilling has some law makers more than just concerned.
Days after the State of Florida Inks $25M Agreement with BP Executives (allegedly behind closed doors), Kendrick Meek wants BP President, Tony Hayworth to spend more rejuvenating Florida's top industry, tourism.
The letter comes just days after BP's promise to the state that it would spend $25 million on a marketing campaign aimed at attracting visitors back to Florida.
Ad buyers who were asked to approximate the cost of the marketing campaign described by VISIT FLORIDA, the
state's tourism office, estimated that it would cost a minimum of $100 million for just 12 weeks of advertising in the top
cities where Florida tourists travel from. These cities are Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Hartford,
Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, St. Louis, Washington, DC and Toronto.
The campaign would include television, radio, print, online, outdoor and promotional advertising.
The letter to Hayward reads as follows:
Dear Mr. Hayward:
While I applaud your company's promise to make $25 million available to promote Florida tourism, it simply is not enough.
I am writing to request that you pledge an additional $75 million - the amount of money required by conservative estimates
to run an adequate domestic and international marketing campaign. This type of ad campaign will cost at least $8 million a
week. Over 12 weeks, it will cost the state at least $100 million.
Florida earns over $65 billion per year from its tourism economy. It is the #1 industry in Florida employing over 1
million people. Recreational fishing alone accounts for $5 billion and 50,000 jobs. A $25 million ad campaign is just a drop
in the bucket of what is truly needed and it will not turn the tide on the pervasive perception that Florida's beaches and
water have been oiled.
In a normal year, the state of Florida's annual tourism marketing budget is $100 million. In the wake of the oil spill,
we need to double-down on these efforts in order to bring tourists back to our beaches.
Many of the small counties
on Florida's coast have been effected. Charter boat operators, fisherman, market workers, and small hotel owners are experiencing
huge drops in the numbers of tourists due to the perception that Florida's beaches are damaged and that the state is now closed
for tourism. Generations of Floridians who have been living and working in the area are now having their livelihood severely
threatened. Moreover, this is going to be a long-term problem.
A national and international campaign is going to be pivotal to rebuilding the economy that once was. Over 80 million
people visit Florida every year, but tourists from around the world are not going to come if they believe their vacation might
be ruined by your oil washing up on our beaches. I urge you to pledge additional funding and take more responsibility for
the decline in Florida's tourism since the spill.
Sincerely,
Kendrick Meek
Meek has consistently opposed drilling off Florida's beaches. Obviously, for good reason.
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