ESCAMBIA COUNTY - Florida tourism officials are getting educated about the pros and cons of drilling off the state's coast.

They want to know what kind of impact it would have on the economy.

Channel three's Erin Ovalle attended a session held by the Florida Association Of Convention And Visitors Bureaus.

She joins us in the studio with more on our top story.

Tourism officials listened as both environmentalists and oil company executives shared their views on the hot topic.

One side saying offshore drilling could boost our tourism industry and the other saying it could dramatically hurt it.

Dr. Enid Sisskin with the Gulf Coast Environmental Defense spoke on behalf of those who are opposed to offshore drilling.

"I think it's a concern for us there are a lot of environmental factors for us we need to take into account, a lot of risk to our environment to where our economy is based and accidents happen, things happen, pollution happens."

Sisskin believes it's a risk our tourism industry can not take.

"We can't be threatening our two biggest industries, which are our tourism industry and the military for something that would really do nothing but enrich oil companies.

She says it would give oil companies millions ... And for us ... Not much at all.

"If we were to drill everywhere we could anywhere on Florida's coast it would decrease gas prices maybe by a few pennies and not for many many years."

David Mica, the Executive Director Of The Florida Petroleum Council hopes people like Dr. Sisskin will keep an open mind.

"With an increased pressure on our economy and the benefits this could bring for every gallon, there of gas that we produce here it's one that we don't have to import, hope they understand that's a positive potential benefit."

He says in our backyard, thirty miles south of the panhandle lies Destin Dome.

He says there you can find three trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

"Three trillion cubic feet is enough natural gas to heat and cool and provide electricity for a city the size of Tallahassee Florida for more than one hundred forty years."

I also spoke with Ed Schroeder Vice President Of Tourism Development here in Pensacola ...

He says the debate was very informative and he hopes to share some key components with the public.Tourism and Offshore Drilling