State of Florida quietly removes LGBTQ+ travel information from state website

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Key West, Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors and St. Petersburg are among the Florida cities that have long been top destinations for LGBTQ+ tourists in the U.S. So it came as a surprise to travelers this week when they learned that Florida’s tourism marketing agency quietly removed the “LGBTQ Travel” section of its website sometime in recent months.

Business owners who cater to LGBTQ+ tourists in Florida said Wednesday that this was the latest attempt by state officials to erase the LGBTQ+ community. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis previously championed a bill that would ban classroom teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity, and has backed a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, as well as a law aimed at keeping 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 reported that a search still yielded some listings for LGBTQ+-friendly places despite the section’s demise.

John Lai, chairman of the board of Visit Florida, did not respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday. Dana Young, CEO and president of Visit Florida, did not respond to a voicemail message Wednesday, nor did the agency’s director of public relations.

Visit Florida is a public-private partnership between the state of Florida and the state’s tourism industry. The state contributes approximately $50 million annually to the quasi-public agency from two tourism and economic development funds.

Florida is one of the most popular states in the U.S. for tourists, and tourism is one of the largest 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 of Visit Florida’s website stated: “Florida’s beaches offer a sense of freedom, warm weather and a wealth of activities — a draw for people of all orientations, but especially appealing to a gay community seeking a sense of belonging and acceptance.”

Blackburn said the change and other anti-LGBTQ+ policies in Tallahassee make it harder for him to promote tourism in South Florida because he encounters potential travelers or tour operators who say they don’t want to do business in the state.

Last year, for example, several civil rights groups issued a travel advisory for Florida, saying the policies advocated by DeSantis and Florida lawmakers are “openly hostile to African Americans, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals.”

But visitors should also be aware that many Florida cities are extremely inclusive, with gay elected officials and LGBTQ+-owned businesses. These cities do not reflect the policies of the state government, Blackburn said.

“It’s tough when these kinds of stories come out, and the state does these kinds of things, and we hear people calling for a boycott,” Blackburn said. “On some level, it’s embarrassing to have to explain why people should come to South Florida and our destination, when the state is doing these kinds of things.”