- Fast Facts:
- - Memphis Tourism Industry Suffering Because Of Gulf Oil Spill
- - Some Tourists Have Cancelled Their Reservations
- - Tourism Experts Say Expensive Advertising Campaign Isn't Working
Kevin Kane is president of the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau. Kane says Memphis has taken a direct hit when it comes to a decrease in tourism.
Kane said, "Unfortunately, we get lumped into the geographical area of being in the south. If you're in St. Louis, Chicago or Detroit and you're looking for a summer destination spot with all the negative publicity, you kind of wipe the entire south off your map."
Appearing on News Channel 3 Live At 9 from Peabody Place, Kane says some free-spending tourists, concerned about the oil spill, are canceling their reservations.
Kane said, "We've had European groups cancel. Whereas Memphis was part of their itinerary as well as New Orleans, international visitors won't just visit one destination they'll visit two or three. We had cancellations that started right after the spill occurred."
Some states and cities are even advertising on TV to say that they're open for business, but that may not be working.
Kane said, "BP has armed Mississippi and Louisiana with tens of millions of dollars. We're seeing all of those advertisements on our local stations here and it's not working. People have just mentally checked it off. They are not going to put their kids in a situation, their family in situation, where they come out with oil potentially on them."
Even though you might think tourists would see cities like Memphis as being an alternative destination point to the Gulf of Mexico, tourism experts here say Memphis is suffering, too.
Kane said, "Even though most of the coast is in beautiful shape, it's a perception issue and unfortunately the baby gets thrown out with the bath water and we're suffering as a result of that, too.
Kane says some downtown Memphis hotels have seen a decrease in international customers all because of the perception of the Gulf Crisis.
