Contact: Eliot Hurwitz                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                          5/23/97

Coastal states, counties and cities rely heavily on tourism for employment and tax revenue, making tourism a driving force in local economies, according to a study released today by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

"This study clearly shows how important a healthy coast is to local and state economies," said Jeffrey R. Benoit, director of NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.

In the study, 66 percent of state officials ranked tourism either first or second as an industry and economic force in their state. Fifty-five percent of city officials also ranked tourism as first or second. Fully 80 percent ranked tourism among the top three industry and economic forces.

Most of the cities and states that ranked tourism as the top industry are in the mid-south Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

According to the 13 coastal states responding with tourism figures, the tourism industry supports more than 2.6 million jobs, with business revenues exceeding $64 billion. In Florida alone, tourism provides an estimated 719,000 jobs. Local communities also reported relying heavily on tourism. In Gulf Shores, Ala., for example, tourism reportedly supports 80 percent of the local budget.

Participants in the study further indicated that a clean environment is very important in recruiting new residents and businesses.

Eighty-four percent of state officials described a clean environment and the availability of recreational opportunities as very important in recruiting new industries and attracting new residents. Seventy-six percent of city officials surveyed also found these factors to be very important.

"This study demonstrates a clear connection between a clean coastal environment and economic vitality," said Benoit. "That's why, over the past 25 years, balancing the needs of the environment with human use has become so critical to coastal states."

"That balance is what we've been working toward for the past 25 years," Benoit added. "Together, NOAA and our state partners have used the Coastal Zone Management Act for a healthy coast nationwide, to support a strong economy for generations."

The study, conducted for NOAA by Rife Market Research, Inc., used separate surveys for cities, counties, and states and territories, reaching officials through Chambers of Commerce, local government agencies, and state departments of recreation and tourism. Fifty-one percent of state officials, 24 percent of county officials, and 16 percent of city officials responded.

Participants' answers were cataloged in state-specific databases available through state coastal program offices. For a copy of the study, contact NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management at 1305 East-West Hwy., N/ORM4, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

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