Though there seems to be progress in stopping the leak in the Gulf, the misperceptions about oil on beaches may take far longer for the travel industry to fix and may be problematic for future Gulf Coast and Florida tourism . Travelocity recently conducted a poll of over 2,000 Americans and found that many travelers believe the oil has spread far beyond its actual reach. For example, one in four respondents named the Florida Keys as one of the top three destinations they thought were impacted by the spill. One in four also named Panama City as affected, although the beaches are clean and open.

Travelocity asked: “Based on what you’ve heard in the news, which would you say are the top three destinations that you think are most affected by the oil spill?” The chart below illustrates the results of the poll.

If you've been dreaming of a little fun in the sun, but you're nervous about the oil spill's path, we've got the perfect solution. Today, Travelocity announced its Gulf Beach Guarantee. If you travel by September 10, 2010 and stay at one of the more than 180 participating hotels, you can receive a refund for any/all unused nights if the government closes a beach within 20 miles of your resort.

Check it out! www.travelocity.com/gulfguarantee

As you can see from this interactive map, the oil spill has only impacted very specific areas at this time. (You can use your cursor to "grab" the map and move it around. Plus, you can zoom in and out.)

Don't get me wrong -- discounted room rates are great. Like a moth to a flame, I'm drawn in by percent-off promotions when I shop for a hotel deal. And these enticing deals are everywhere -- 25% off! No, no wait, there's another one -- 40% off! Wait - 60% off!

And then I stop to think -- 60% off what, exactly? If you don't know the starting price of a hotel room, the discount may not mean much to you.

Personally, I like my discounts in dollars. Resort credits offer a specific dollar amount for you to spend while you're at your hotel on cocktails, food, spa treatments -- you name it. It is one of the most popular hotel trends in a down economy and, depending on the amount, can add a great deal of value to your vacation. Here are three  resort credit offers available right now: