Hotel business booming amid oil spill

MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) - The summer season always means a boost for the local hotel industry. But this year, it's the oil spill that has been the major factor behind the booming business.

Lisa Tolbert of Birmingham visits Mobile on business often. But during her most recent trip, she ran into a little trouble booking her two-day stay.

"All hotels were booked. Everyone was booked, but we did luck out and find this room on Expedia, so tonight we're having to transfer over to the Battlehouse," Tolbert said.

Hundreds of educators from across the state are in Mobile for a MEGA Conference. But that's only part of the reason for the limited hotel space.

Scott Hays is in Mobile for the MEGA Conference. He said anytime the hotels fill up, other businesses benefit, too.

"Restaurants. We're trying to decide where to go eat now, and we've been to several places while we've been here. We're about to go play golf here in just a few minutes. I'm going to get in trouble for saying that," Hays said.

It's not just the downtown hotels that are seeing booming business. Hotels across the city have had a lot more bookings since the oil spill.

Cab driver Chris Cornett said BP workers and contractors have made up the bulk of his business recently.

"I've been bringing a lot of people. They've been coming into town for the oil spill and what not," Cornett said.

Hotel officials said when BP moved the Incident Command Center from downtown, a lot of the BP related bookings shifted to the beltline and further west.

Managers at hotels along the interstate tell FOX10 News they've been much busier than a normal summer. However, no one is predicting right now how long the boom will last.

Hotels on the Eastern Shore in Baldwin County are seeing more bookings as well.