LGBTQ+ Means Business Visit Lauderdale Is National Model Of How Diversity Is Good For Business

This week the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce held a luncheon that focused on travel to South Florida and LGBTQ’s important role in it. Broward County and South Florida is one of the largest LGBTQ+ travel destinations in the world. So when Visit Lauderdale Executive Director Stacy Ritter is the keynote speaker it got our attention. Visit Lauderdale is the Presenting Sponsor for next month’s Pride of the America’s and is vital in promoting Broward County to the world wide LGBTQ+ community. Ritter was introduced by Out 100 recipient Richard Gray, Vice President of Visit Lauderdale She explained her challenge in the environment Ft Lauderdale faces in a world dominated by the hateful and regressive politics of Tallahassee while promoting our travel destination. Ritter had a heart-to-heart and frank conversation of what we all face. She joked “I might get fired for what I am going to say.” she then adds speaking to Gray “That means you get fired too.” The room erupts in laughter as if to say we absolutely get the joke and Ritter is going nowhere. She talks about a culture of what she calls “Mediocre White Men” who are decision-makers on what America and the world perceive of Florida as a place of growing culture war. She provides the example of Guns in public and talks about strapping one on… then says “oh wait, with this crowd I shouldn’t make that joke.” She made her point. After the presentation, I asked her how other visitor destinations outside of South Florida react to her leadership values on diversity. She says on other visitor bureaus “I am disappointed in my colleagues because they don’t unite. I’m disappointed because I am an outlier. Our role in tourism is advocacy.” She continues with an example in Central Florida and how the Orlando tourism industry reaped destination publicity on “Don’t Say Gay” but then does not vigorously defend Disney when they faced the attacks including Governor DeSantis and Reedy Creek. It is clear that we are watching leadership in the destination of Broward County and tourism that is very unique in Florida and America. It is also very clear that this embracement of their campaign “Everything Under The Sun” is an incredible success as Ritter and Gray report that the county's bed taxes for 2022 exceeded $100 million for the first time in history. They also report that in February a world cruise record will be achieved as 4 full LGBTQ cruise ship charters will depart from Port Everglades carrying more than 11,000 visitors. Her presence at the GFLGLCC is proof positive that the embracement of diversity is good for business.