Survey reveals misperception of oil industry impact on Gulf area

The oil industry's impact on tourism in states close to the Gulf of Mexico could be inflated by misperceptions surrounding the Deepwater Horizon leak.

A survey from tourism operator Travelocity reveals that a quarter of people list the Florida Keys among the worst affected regions due to spilled oil in the Gulf.

The same proportion believe that Panama City has been hit by leaked oil - despite this not being the case, Travelocity says.

More than 2,000 Americans were surveyed by the firm to determine their perceptions of how the oil industry has affected tourism in states such as Florida.

However, there was also some positive tourism news to come out of the research.

Despite never having wanted to visit the region in the past, seven per cent of people who have not considered the Gulf area for a holiday would do so if the right deal were available.

More than one in four people whose opinions of the Gulf of Mexico as a holiday destination have been hit by the spill would also still head there if they could find the right deal, Travelocity found.