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Panhandle beach businesses are hoping for a busy holiday weekend, and they may be depending on instate travel more than ever before. All but a few miles of beach in the western panhandle are clean, yet most out of state travelers are snubbing all of Florida because of the gulf oil spill. Visit Florida President Chris Thompson is hoping Floridians will take an instate vacation this extended weekend to help support those businesses.

“Before the oil situation had hit us, the trending was improving. The volume of visitors was starting to come back. The rate was still suffering a little bit, because over the last two years with the economy, a lot of business had to go out and buy the business. But even in the Month of May when we look at the latest travel numbers occupancy was up five percent and rate was down five percent, so we are anticipating it will be a good holiday weekend,” said Thompson.

Instate travel accounts for about 35 percent of Florida’s overall tourism business.