{"id":108910,"date":"2020-04-29T09:45:24","date_gmt":"2020-04-29T13:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=108910"},"modified":"2024-02-12T11:57:12","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T16:57:12","slug":"ucf-to-lead-study-exploring-social-medias-impact-on-consumer-behavior-when-red-tide-strikes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-to-lead-study-exploring-social-medias-impact-on-consumer-behavior-when-red-tide-strikes\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF to Lead Study Exploring Social Media\u2019s Impact on Consumer Behavior when Red Tide Strikes"},"content":{"rendered":"

The University of Central Florida is one of two universities selected to study the social and economic impacts of Florida\u2019s red tide events during 2017-19 that killed fish, stunk up the coastlines and sent tourists packing.<\/p>\n

Notwithstanding today\u2019s global pandemic, a large chunk of Florida\u2019s economy depends on its beaches and waterways. The red tide events, which release toxins killing fish and chasing tourists and residents from the stench, had a negative impact on humans and marine life, and crippled some local economies. The governor at the time declared a state of emergency.<\/p>\n

The impact on business and the economy is why the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) and NOAA\u2019s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) have funded two new studies worth $556,000 to determine the extent of the impact, look for best practices and provide communities a framework to help guide future mitigation efforts.<\/p>\n

Assistant Professor Sergio Alvarez, from UCF\u2019s Rosen College of Hospitality Management<\/a>, will lead the study that looks at the economic impacts of these bloom events across 80 different sectors. He will use data analysis, social media and his team\u2019s expertise in tourism to bring clarity to the murky picture.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that harmful algal blooms drive people away from the waterfront,\u201d Alvarez says. \u201cWith this project, we will identify how Florida\u2019s red tide has been impacting the state\u2019s economy in terms of reduced sales from different economic sectors. But we are also testing the idea that information from social media could be more of a driver in these impacts than so-called objective measures, like water sampling data.<\/p>\n