Its hard to believe that the Deepwater Horizon tragedy occurred a year ago, on 20 April 2010. This terrible event, that caused the sad deaths of 11 crew members and subsequently resulted in the largest marine oil spill in American history, sent ripples throughout the world. And of course, threatened to impact hugely on the Gulf coasts considerable economy. Destin is renowned as a major destination for leisure fishing, and vacationing families from around the globe flock to the famous sugar sand beaches and frolic in the turquoise waters of the Emerald Coast. All along this beautiful coast and far offshore, commercial fisheries work tirelessly to provide fresh seafood for the US market, and the industry employs thousands of local people.As news of the scale of the oil leak spread, the widespread concern felt all along the Gulf was palpable. Genuine fears of large scale economic impact in an area already suffering from the effects of global recession, sent waves of panic throughout north west Florida. Countless vacations were cancelled, while the worlds media showed shocking footage of oil-covered seabirds, and tar balls threatened to fill shrimpers nets. It is estimated that the region lost more than $1 billion in tourism revenue as a direct result of the spill. Now, one year on, and were seeing significant signs of continued recovery. The beaches are mercifully free of pollution and Destins warm waters are as inviting as they ever were. Tourists are returning in droves and bookings are looking positive for the summer season. But there are still challenges ahead, and those vacationers who chose somewhere new last year need to be wooed back to Destins glorious beaches and fine seafood restaurants. Thankfully, signs are positive and we can expect something of a return to form during 2011. And right now, there are some stunning vacation homes and condos for sale on the Destin real estate market. In fact, all along the Emerald Coast there are excellent deals to be found, from great value cozy cottages with easy access to nearby beaches, to palatial waterfront homes with countless luxury features. If you are considering relocating to the Destin area or are looking for that perfect beach getaway, take time to check out the range of spectacular properties currently for sale at destin-florida-real-estate.com nbsp; By the Karrie Rose Writing Team
