Florida’s removal of its LGBTQ+ Travel section, alongside anti-LGBTQ+ policies, risks alienating queer travelers and losing a share of the growing $331 billion LGBTQ+ tourism market.

• The LGBTQ+ tourism market is estimated to be worth $331.14 billion in 2024, and is expected to grow to $552.96 billion by 2031. 
• The top five US destinations for American LGBTQ+ travelers are New York City, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Los Angeles / West Hollywood.
• The LGBTQ+ community in the US spends roughly 10 percent of its purchasing power on travel.

The Sunshine State Goes Dark

In August, the LGBTQ+ community discovered another sign that Florida continues taking steps back as a safe tourist destination for queer travelers, as Visit Florida, the state’s official tourism website, quietly removed its “LGBTQ+ Travel” section.

The erasure comes as no surprise considering the constant battle between Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, whose administration has been at odds with the entertainment giant over the state’s controversial policies, including the “Don’t Say Gay” law. 

The Orlando Sentinel reported that it remains unclear who specifically ordered the removal of the LGBTQ+ Travel section from Visit Florida’s website. Visit Florida operates as a public-private partnership between the state and the tourism industry, with Florida investing $50 million annually to support the website.

They also reported that according to the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, the state generates $333 million in daily tourism revenue, with visitors contributing $35.2 billion to the economy each year.

"It's just disgusting to see this," Keith Blackburn told CBS News, who heads the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce. "They seem to want to erase us."

Key West, Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors, and St. Petersburg have been popular destinations for the LGBTQ+ community, but Blackburn said Florida is making it increasingly difficult to promote the state as a safe tourism destination for LGBTQ+ travelers.

A Booming Industry

According to a 2018 report from HospitableMe, LGBTQ+ people composed 8% of all tourists in Los Angeles, providing 20% of the city’s annual revenue. The community is the most coveted consumer segment, the report continues. The overall growth of acceptance of LGBTQ+ culture is a major contributor to the increase in tourism revenue across North America and younger generations are increasingly identifying as members of the community and consider them allies.

HospitableMe also reports that LGBTQ+ people:

• Live in smaller households with more disposable income 
• Spend 35% more on liquor, 43% more on electronics
• Travel more frequently
• Spend more when they travel 
• Would have the 6^th largest GDP if they were a country
• Are loyal to brands that speak to them authentically
• Are trendsetting and influential

Economic Fallout

The LGBTQ+ tourism market is estimated to be worth $331.14 billion in 2024, and is expected to grow to $552.96 billion by 2031. Cities such as New York and San Francisco have emerged as key LGBTQ+ travel destinations, drawing visitors through Pride celebrations, cultural events, and LGBTQ-friendly businesses. Overall, the LGBTQ+ community accounts for 13% of global travel spending, despite representing only 4-5% of the population.

So what happens when LGBTQ+ tourists are discouraged from traveling to destinations? Let’s look at a case study: North Carolina circa 2016.

House Bill 2 (HB2) was passed by North Carolina’s government in March 2016, overturning an ordinance that had aimed to extend rights to the LGBTQ+ community, including allowing transgender residents to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity.

Not long after, The UK Foreign Office updated its travel advice for North Carolina to caution LGBTQ+ tourists about potential dangers in these states. The revised guidance, posted on the official government website emphasized that “the US is an extremely diverse society and attitudes toward LGBTQ+ individuals vary greatly across the country.”

North Carolina felt the heat from anti-LGBTQ+ actions carried out by the state. According to Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, which promotes tourism in the area, $3.1 million was lost in tourism revenue.