On his recent family trip to the Gulf Coast President Barack Obama declared beaches were safe and spotless following the clean up of the massive BP oil spill.

Speaking at Panama City Beach, Florida, Mr Obama offered his personal assurance that the region was a clean vacation destination and "a beautiful place to visit".

"As a result of the clean up effort, beaches all along the Gulf Coast are clean, they are safe and they are open for business," he said.

The first family, bar daughter Malia, but including family dog Bo, spent 27 hours in the Florida Panhandle, allowing the President to speak to business owners affected by the oil spill including By the Sea Resorts general manager Lee Anne Leonard.

"[Ms Leonard] has seen a big decline in tourism," Mr Obama said, adding that his administration would stand with business owners until they "have fully recovered from the damage that has been done".

"I'm here to tell you our job is not finished and we're not going anywhere until it is," he said.

Obama and daughter Sasha went for a swim off Alligator Point, the official photo released by the White House criticised as purely promotional, although Mr Obama made no secret his desire to endorse the region.

"I wanted to come here personally...to let our fellow Americans know to come on down here."

Despite criticism, wherever the President chooses to vacation, with the inevitable media entourage in tow, an increase in tourism may follow, reported USA Today.

According to the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, after Obama's trip to Maine last month, visits to its website were up 50 per cent.

"Having the leader of the free world come here helps increase our profile more than anything else we could have done," Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau chief executive Dan Rowe said.