Visit Florida has finally provided a response regarding the removal of its “LGTBQ Travel” page, which had been taken down without explanation. Dana Young, the CEO and president of Visit Florida, stated that the organization’s marketing strategy, materials, and content must align with the state of Florida, which she described as a very welcoming state. This response came after more than a week of silence from Visit Florida following inquiries from Skift and NBC News.
Rachel Covello, who runs the travel blog OutCoast and was present at the meeting where Young made her statement, was not satisfied with the explanation. She felt that Young’s response was superficial and did not address where the website went. This removal of the LGTBQ Travel page came after Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation that banned discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. DeSantis stated that he was only made aware of the page’s removal after it had already been taken down, and emphasized that Florida is a welcoming state to all visitors.
Will Seccombe, the former CEO and president of Visit Florida from 2012 to 2017, noted that the organization had been actively marketing to LGTBQ travelers for at least a decade. Visit Florida is a public-private partnership that received $80 million in funding from the state legislature for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Young, a former state legislature politician, was appointed by DeSantis to head the organization in 2019. Despite Visit Florida removing its LGTBQ Travel page, other destination marketing organizations in Florida such as the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Visit Lauderdale, Visit Tampa Bay, and Visit Orlando have kept their pages geared toward LGTBQ travelers.
Stacy Ritter, the CEO and president of Visit Lauderdale, stated on LinkedIn that while Visit Florida has removed its LGTBQ+ page from the website, Visit Lauderdale is committed to valuing and respecting marginalized communities and providing them with a welcoming and inclusive experience. However, there are still unanswered questions about why Visit Florida chose to remove the LGTBQ Travel page and what this decision means for the organization’s future marketing strategies. The response from Visit Florida has sparked further discussion about how destination marketing organizations should approach LGBTQ+ travelers and ensure inclusivity in their marketing efforts.
The controversy surrounding the removal of the LGTBQ Travel page has brought attention to the broader issue of LGBTQ+ rights and representation in Florida. Critics of the decision have raised concerns about the state’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues, given the recent legislation signed by Governor DeSantis. As the tourism industry continues to evolve and diversify, destination marketing organizations will need to consider how to best cater to all travelers, including LGBTQ+ visitors. Moving forward, it will be important for Visit Florida and other tourism bureaus to address these issues transparently and ensure that their marketing efforts align with the values of inclusivity and diversity.
