The Visit USA Association has put together a crisis response structure to deal with developing situations such as the current spread of oil from a massive leak from a damaged rig in the Gulf of Mexico.
The organisational structure, which allows the Visit USA board to communicate quickly with members to agree tactical responses and keep its website up-to-date with developments, was set up following the ash crisis last month.
Visit USA chair Kate Burgess-Craddy said it was imperative to cope with situations such as the ash lockdown well at home and overseas to provide the levels of service which would ensure customers returned in better times.
“As long as people are looked after properly they will come back, but if they are charged the earth or moved because someone else needs a room, then that experience is likely to turn them off for life,” she said.
International business to Florida has not been significantly affected by the oil leak, but domestic arrivals are down over concerns that the oil will spread to Florida’s gulf beaches and even follow the tidal flow around the Florida Keys and up along the state’s Atlantic resorts such as Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
Oil giant BP is facing mounting criticism over its inability to stop the leak, though beaches in tourist destinations have been largely unaffected.