Florida's official tourism site removes 'LGBTQ Travel' section
Florida’s official tourism website, VisitFlorida.com, removed a landing page for the state’s LGBTQ-friendly travel destinations sometime in the past four months.
Florida’s official tourism website quietly removed a landing page for the state’s LGBTQ-friendly travel destinations sometime in the past four months.
The website for the state’s tourism marketing corporation, VisitFlorida.com, had an “LGBTQ Travel” section that no longer exists, according to archived versions of the site viewable on the Internet Archive. The landing page previously featured blog posts and videos related to the state’s gay-friendly beaches, Pride events and LGBTQ road trip ideas.
“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,” the landing page used to read. “Whether you’re a couple seeking a romantic getaway or a modern family searching for kid-friendly fun, here are some LGBTQ-friendly destinations for you, throughout the Sunshine State.”
The link where the LGBTQ Travel page had been (https://www.visitflorida.com/things-to-do/cultural/lgbtq/) now directs users to a general “things to do” landing page. It is unclear exactly when the landing page was removed, but it was available as recently as April 19, according to the Internet Archive. It is also unclear why Visit Florida, a nonprofit created as a public-private partnership by the Florida Legislature in 1996, removed the landing page and who was behind the decision.
The website does continue to provide travel information for destinations specific to other minority groups, including Black and Hispanic travelers.
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