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The oil spill taking shape in the Gulf of Mexico could end up hurting Miami Dade County jobs and many other tourism-related jobs throughout Florida.

Officials in Florida are reporting that the state is already losing millions of tourism-related dollars thanks to the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This comes after the Coast Guard reported tar balls washing up on Key West beaches early this week.

"Even without touching the ground, it's causing significant economic hardship in the state already," Will Seccombe, chief marketing officer of Visit Florida, told Reuters. "Every 85 visitors supports one Florida job. You start losing visitors, you lose jobs, you lose sales tax collections."

Florida's tourism industry is responsible for more than 1 million jobs and 21 percent of the state's total taxable sales. During 2008, the state's 80 million visitors brought $3.9 billion in tax revenue to Florida and generated $65.2 billion in direct economic impact.

As of March, the number of tourists visiting Florida had increased and there weren't many cancellations, but many tourists have been questioning whether or not to visit the state after hearing of the oil spill.

That could be because many experts thing the oil in the Gulf of Mexico is now circulating in the Loop Current that floats around the Florida Peninsula, meaning the oil could end up in the Florida Keys and even Miami.

Some predict the oil will reach the Florida Keys by the end of the week and Miami in about 10 days. However, BP Plc - the company that owns the well where the spill is taking place - is doing its part to combat any misconceptions regarding Florida.

The company awarded Florida a $25 million grant for a tourism advertising campaign during the next two to three months. This recent round of funding is in addition to $25 million BP gave the state earlier this month to implement an area contingency plan, according to the South Florida Business Journal.

Visit Florida will use the funding to create a marketing campaign that counters negative information about the effects of the oil spill in Florida. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, the campaign won't mention the oil spill unless it is confirmed that the tar balls washing up on shore are from BP's well.

The campaign, comprised of online and cable TV advertising, will drive potential tourists to the Visit Florida Web site where a "Florida Live" section will allow visitors to see pictures of the state's coastal attractions and receive real-time updates on everything regarding the oil spill.

Labels: Miami Dade County jobs