Gas pains

Gulf Coast tourism officials are growing anxious about the rising cost of gasoline and the impact on the summer tourism season.

That's because the summer tourism season is heavily dependent on in-state auto travel by Floridians, so rising fuel prices could hurt the recovery. Until now, occupancies at hotels from Tampa to Naples have been rising steadily for the past year, and room rates are finally inching up after years of recession-induced declines.

To offset the higher cost of fuel, some hoteliers tell Coffee Talk they might start offering gasoline cards as promotional incentives for guests who drive to their destination.

Higher fuel prices could also force airlines to curtail service to Florida in the slower summer months. That's because maintaining profitable routes is more difficult when fuel prices rise.