Associated Press
Key West, Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors and St. Petersburg are among several Florida cities that have long been top U.S. destinations for LGBTQ+ tourists. So it came as a surprise this week when travelers learned that Florida’s tourism marketing agency quietly removed the “LGBTQ Travel” section from its website sometime in the past few months.
Business owners who cater to Florida’s LGBTQ+ tourists said Wednesday that it marked the latest attempt by officials in the state to erase the LGBTQ+ community. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis previously championed a bill to forbid classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, and supported a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, as well as a law meant to keep children out of drag shows.
“It’s just disgusting to see this,” said Keith Blackburn, who heads the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “They seem to want to erase us.”
The change to VISIT FLORIDA’s website was first reported by NBC News, which noted a search query still pulls up some listings for LGBTQ+-friendly places despite the elimination of the section.
John Lai, who chairs VISIT FLORIDA’s board, didn’t respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday. Dana Young, VISIT FLORIDA’s CEO and President, didn’t respond to a voicemail message Wednesday, and neither did the agency’s public relations director.
Florida is one of the most popular states in the U.S. for tourists, and tourism is one of its biggest industries. Nearly 141 million tourists visited Florida in 2023, with out-of-state visitors contributing more than $102 billion to Florida’s economy.
Before the change, the LGBTQ+ section on VISIT FLORIDA’s website had read, “There’s a sense of freedom to Florida’s beaches, the warm weather and the myriad activities — a draw for people of all orientations, but especially appealing to a gay community looking for a sense of belonging and acceptance.”
Blackburn said the change and other anti-LGBTQ+ policies out of Tallahassee make it more difficult for him to promote South Florida tourism since he encounters prospective travelers or travel promoters who say they don’t want to do business in the state.
Last year, for instance, several civil rights groups issued a travel advisory for Florida, saying that policies championed by DeSantis and Florida lawmakers are “openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.”
But visitors should also understand that many Florida cities are extremely inclusive, with gay elected officials and LGBTQ+-owned businesses, and they don’t reflect the policies coming from state government, Blackburn added.
“It’s difficult when these kinds of stories come out, and the state does these things, and we hear people calling for a boycott,” Blackburn said. “On one level, it’s embarrassing to have to explain why people should come to South Florida and our destination when the state is doing these things.”
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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
12 comments
Manuel
August 21, 2024 at 3:30 pm
That’s how you treat people like grown adults, equal to others. They don’t need their own travel information. Children do.
MarvinM
August 21, 2024 at 3:46 pm
Seriously, I do not understand what you mean. Children do not make their own travel arrangements. Their parents do.
What’s wrong with giving people information that will presumably help get more tourists to come to Florida and spend their money here and help our economy?
Josh Green
August 21, 2024 at 4:02 pm
He wants to basically remove all the information on the website aimed at a specific group. And it’s the dumbest thing I’ve read all week.
Josh Green
August 21, 2024 at 3:57 pm
So by that logic this website should include no information that attempts to appeal to any specific demographic or people with certain interests.
People who like fishing? Remove all references to fishing in Florida from the website.
People who like the beach? Remove all references to beaches in Florida from the website.
Sports fans? Nope. We scrubbed all the information on every sports team in Florida.
Theme parks? Let’s pretend they don’t exist.
Have to treat everybody equally, like grown adults and all.
fleenow
August 21, 2024 at 4:01 pm
Boycott this backward podunk State of Hate.
Yrral
August 21, 2024 at 4:08 pm
Boycott Florida,and may the citrus canker curse every tree
rbruce
August 21, 2024 at 4:51 pm
Why do members of the alphabet mafia need different travel instructions over the other 90+% of tourist? Thought they wanted to be treated like everyone else and keep the Gov’t out of their bedroom.
Josh Green
August 21, 2024 at 4:57 pm
I’m not sure I understand what you mean. Including information about LGBT friendly destinations in Florida on this website, alongside information on literally EVERY other interest somebody visiting may have IS treating them like everybody else.
How do you not understand that?
Michael K
August 22, 2024 at 11:49 am
Poor thing. Why can’t you live and let live?
I can tell you this: The Hospitality Industry loves LGBTQ people and the dollars they spend. It’s only the Republican governor and his sycophants who hate LGBTQ people for a host of irrational reasons. They cannot stand the thought of people happily living their full authentic selves and wish to inflict their misery on everyone else.
PeterH
August 21, 2024 at 11:36 pm
Republicans are America’s worst enemy!
Vote all Republicans out of office!
Michael K
August 22, 2024 at 11:43 am
Any question that the GOP wants to erase LGBTQ people?
Tjb
August 26, 2024 at 3:18 pm
Are not LGBTQ folks Gods children?
Comments are closed.