Step 1: Identify the goal
The La Maria Chamber of Commerce wants to maintain high tourism rates despite concerns about a potential volcanic eruption.
Step 2: Understand the proposal
The plan is to run an advertising campaign emphasizing the safety of La Maria destinations in case of an eruption.
Step 3: Find the option that weakens the proposal
We need to find an answer choice that suggests the campaign would not work to maintain tourism.
Step 4: Analyze each option
(A) Tourists who visit La Maria County rate safety as one of their top priorities in choosing a vacation destination.
- This suggests safety matters to tourists, but it does not indicate whether the campaign would be effective or not. (Incorrect)
(B) All over the world, there are active volcanoes near areas whose economies depend on tourism.
- This is general information and does not indicate whether the ad campaign will succeed or fail. (Incorrect)
(C) Very few visitors to La Maria County participate in volcano-related activities such as camping and hiking.
- This does not indicate whether tourists will be deterred by the volcano’s activity. (Incorrect)
(D) Most potential vacationers to La Maria County are not aware that the volcano is active, and would discover that it is through advertisements that emphasize the area's safety.
- This suggests that the campaign could backfire by making people aware of the danger, which could lead to more tourists staying away instead of reassuring them. (Correct)
(E) Compared to tourist destinations that are not near active volcanoes, La Maria County is an inexpensive place for a family to vacation.
- This suggests a financial advantage but does not show why the ad campaign would fail. (Incorrect)
Step 5: Conclusion
The best answer is (D) because it shows that the campaign could actually increase awareness of the volcano, reducing tourism instead of maintaining it.