Oil Spill Update July 2, 2010

Dear ResortQuest Partner:

As we head in to this Fourth of July holiday weekend we are again reminded of the impact of the spill.  What typically would be a near sell out across the region will instead see occupancies ranging from the 90’s in the east to the 50’s the farther west that you go.  The booking window has collapsed to no more than 3 days prior to arrival with the weather forecast playing a major role. 

All beaches across the region have seen some level of impact from the oil with the lightest being to the east in Panama City.  Clean up crews for the most part are doing a good job of getting the oil cleaned up within hours of it making landfall.

Our owner information center is currently receiving between 50 and 85 email requests per day, and due to the lack of consistency in the type of documentation that BP is requiring, requests are taking approximately 2-3 days to fulfill.  Some requests require additional levels of scrutiny and in some cases individual, customized reports which will take more time.  Each request is a top priority so we ask that you continue to use this email address; ownerbpinfo@resortquest.com, to make contact with Annette so that she can continue moving everyone’s request forward.

If you have not already, I urge you to get your claim number filed with BP right away.  You must do this personally by calling (800) 440-0858 or online at www.bp.com/claims.  As you may have heard, the funds that BP will be placing in escrow to pay for covered losses is being transitioned to governmental oversight and control.  I am VERY concerned with some comments recently made by Kenneth Feinberg who was appointed by President Obama to oversee the process.  When asked about negative impact to tourism due to the perceived threat of oil, his response was; "If there's no physical damage to the beaches and it's a public perception, I venture to say that it is not compensable," Feinberg answered. "How we deal with that problem is something I've got to address. That's in this area where some discretion's going to have to exercised."

What a comment like that means to the claims process may be premature to speculate, but it does give us insight as to where his head is.  It’s imperative that we all continue to monitor these developments daily as they unfold.

Sincerely,

Lino Maldonado
Vice President, ResortQuest
(850) 301-3420 Office
(850) 301-3419 Fax
lmaldonado@resortquest.com
www.resortquest.com

ResortQuest Owner Email Updates:

June 16, 2010
June 3, 2010
May 21, 2010
May 5, 2010
May 4, 2010
May 1, 2010
April 28, 2010
April 27, 2010

ResortQuest Current Beach Photos:

http://www.resortquestnwfl.com/beach-photos.htm

Video update from BP

http://bp.concerts.com/gom/kentwells_update24052010.htm 

Government agency updates:

Deepwater Horizon Response website
Deepwater Horizon Response Facebook page
NOAA Emergency Response-Deepwater Horizon Incident
NOAA Incident News--Deepwater Horizon Incident
US Coast Guard's Photostream

Area and visitor industry updates:

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, AL
Perdido Key, FL 
Navarre Beach, FL
Emerald Coast CVB (Fort Walton Beach and Destin)
Okaloosa County, FL (Fort Walton Beach and Destin)
Beaches of South Walton, FL
Panama City Beach, FL