Florida’s summer “saved” by BP donations

Florida tourism officials have credited a $32 million fund donated by BP to encourage holidaymakers to visit despite the Gulf of Mexico oil spill for “saving the summer”.

New figures show that visitor numbers to Florida rose during the first months of the crisis, which tourism officials credit to an advertising funded by a $32 million donation from BP.

They say it allowed them to put out the message that most of Florida’s beaches remained untouched by the spill.

The funds were used for high-profile campaigns on television, radio and in newspapers both domestically and across Europe.

“It was the best money that BP spent other than that on capping the spill,” Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, told The Telegraph.

27.08.10