At approximately 2:25pm on Thursday, July 15, BP officials announced that the oil gushing out of the ruptured well in the Gulf had been stopped for the first time since the leak began on April 20.  Valves on the new, tightly fitted cap have been closed and BP officials remain optimistic about the new cap's ability to contain the gushing oil until the completion of two relief wells.

The relief wells are currently being built half a mile from the site of the damaged well, and are expected to be completed in early August, said Kent Wells, BP senior vice president in charge of subsea containment and capping efforts. The chance of the two relief wells being successful is high, and the newly secured cap should be able to curb the flow of oil until the relief wells are completely finished.

Although this oil spill nightmare seems to be coming to a close, the end is nowhere near. Adm. Thad W. Allen said that the enormous effects of the spill will take years to clean up, and that the U.S. has already spent $140 million on cleanup efforts thus far.

Recent estimates suggest that as much as 65,000 barrels of oil have been escaping the pipe every day, and a total of 90,000,000 gallons of oil has leaked into the ocean through the well. Subsequently, more than 100 miles of Louisiana's shorelines have been soiled by gummy, rusty tar balls, and due to the growing oil slick, essential fishing regions have been closed, leaving fishermen who derive income from the coastal zone out of work. Experts say that the oil spill is the nation’s worst environmental disaster in decades.

Impact on Tourism

Because tourism in the Gulf states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida has been hit hard by the oil spill, many regional tourist bureaus, from the Louisiana bayous to Florida resort areas, are encouraging travel in order to decrease the negative impact on the local economies. Discount pricing and money-back guarantees are turning up everywhere.

VisitFlorida, along with other tourism organizations, wants visitors to know that while some beaches along the Gulf Coast have been affected, thousands of popular beach destinations remain unharmed.

Additionally, all four states' tourist boards frequently update their official websites concerning the status of beaches and tourist areas. Within minutes of "tar mousse" appearing in the tide on June 23 along Pensacola Beach, for example, VisitFlorida.com posted the information along with a health advisory and warning of the temporary closure of two area beaches.

Travel companies are doing their part to maintain tourism dollars to the region.  The US Travel Association has come out with a proposal to support the region and is demanding government action. 

The online agency, Orbitz is extending its ‘Open Beach Guarantee’ for hotel stays through September 30, 2010.   Under the Guarantee, customers who make a standalone hotel booking on Orbitz.com at one of the 240 participating hotels along the Gulf of Mexico will be eligible for a full refund for unused hotel nights if a government agency closes or declares a beach dangerous within 20 miles of the property.

Staying Ahead of the Slick for Vacation Planners

Families interested in voluntourism this summer have some great possibilities to make a difference.  Lousiana and Florida are both looking for volunteers to help in cleanup and prevention efforts. If you have a boat and live or work on the gulf coast, you can participate in the Vessels of Opportunity program where BP will pay you to take part in oil skimming operations.

The National Wildlife Foundation and International Bird Rescue are accepting donations for coastal relief, and Matter of Trust is collecting hair to be bundled into booms (hair acts as an extraordinarily absorbent substance).You can find a participating hair salon or barbershop at their site.

If you'd prefer to avoid the oil slick, there are plenty of resources for that too. Travelers can review constant updates from the Orbitz Resource Center (oil spill resource center).

Travelers can see current computer simulations of the slick made by The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).

For updated information on whether your trip may be directly affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill, visit links provided by Paradise Hunter on Family Travel Forum’s bulletin board or GulfCoastTravelUpdate.com.

The Florida Keys Tourism Council is also featuring NOAA reports, live webcams and weekly videos that show the current status of tourism offerings.

For the final word, check out the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website for the most recent updates concerning BP cleanup efforts.

Photo by www.oilpatchresearch.com