The speed of the Gulf Coast tourist economy's recovery will face its next test this friday when fish fly at a state-straddling roadhouse. The Interstate Mullet Toss on the last weekend of April typically attracts huge crowds to the Flora-Bama bar in Pensacola, Florida, where participants try to throw a dead mullet fish as far as they can, from Florida across the sandy state border into Alabama.
Last year, thousands took part in the annual ritual with large parties and festivities while millions of barrels of oil were pouring into the Gulf. and large celebrations and partying—as millions of barrels of oil were leaking from the BP PLC's Macondo well miles away in Gulf waters. The mullet tossers paid it no mind. Following the event, gooey tar balls began to wash ashore leading to a terrible summer season all along the Gulf Coast.
Reservations for vacation rentals have been down in most beach towns and other Gulf communities and is uncertain if the typical number of summer tourists will return. There are signs of progress with the cleanup efforts and the increase tourism.
Area officials and locals believe this event will be a great beginning to the summer season and expect the return of thousands crowded along the beach watching the fish activities.
2 comments:
It is just a fun article to me since I love fishing. Anyhow, put that aside!
I can already the opportunity as well as the threat to gulf tourism. Good news is it will help the local economy and also serve as a forecast of how well the economy has recovered. Yes, i would not spend money on vacation if i do not have money to spend or a job.
However, along with tourism is the flood of trash, which will harm the environment further
It is great to see that the tourism industry along the gulf coast has begun to restore itself. Though, a great deal of this is through the funding that BP has provided for their damage to the industry. It is interesting to see that mullet-tossing serves as a symbol for the rise in tourism.
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