Gulf coast tourism rebounds after bp oil spill

This summer, business has boomed at Bonifay Water Sports, Ehrenreich said as he waited for a parasailing group to return. He is not the only local businessman with good news. Beach towns from Alabama through the Florida Panhandle have had a strong summer rebound in 2011 after a 2010 season marred by Tar balls, crude oil sheen and cleanup crews and equipment ruining the views for any would-be sunbathers.

"Tourists don't even mention the spill now. They haven't mentioned it really at all in the last six months," said Ehrenreich.

Tourism leaders say the post-spill economic bounce is fueled in part by an influx of BP money that has gone to promote Gulf Coast beaches. Another positive for the string of white sand beaches from Alabama to Florida's Big Bend has been making it through the end of August without any disruptions from tropical storms or hurricanes. Hurricane season is not yet over, but the biggest storm so far this year, Irene, spared the area when it veered farther north.

Pensacola Beach bested a June 2008 record for county lodging tax revenues this year by already bringing in $1 million. And county tourism officials said numbers for cars passing through the toll booth entrance to Pensacola Beach this summer are on track to break records.

Source: USAToday.com