South Florida tourism leaders respond to NAACP Florida travel warning

Two top South Florida tourism leaders — David Whitaker, CEO of Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Stacy Ritter, CEO of Visit Lauderdale — shared thoughts on the potential effects of the NAACP recently advising people of color to expect hostile treatment if they travel to Florida.

The NAACP issued a travel advisory Saturday in response to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ attempts to ban books about race and LGBTQ+ identities, reject a new Advanced Placement African American Studies course and bar diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida colleges.

The advisory was proposed to the national Board of Directors last month, during the NAACP Florida chapter’s conference in Orlando.

Click to resize

“Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals,” according to the group’s advisory. “Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color.”

The NAACP’s message over the weekend came after The League of United Latin American Citizens, one of the oldest and largest U.S. Hispanic civil rights groups, on Wednesday advised immigrants and their families to avoid traveling to the Sunshine State because of a measure DeSantis signed into law May 10 that cracks down on immigration. The Florida governor is widely expected this week to formally announce his 2024 run for president.

A spokesperson for the the governor on Monday noted Florida’s record tourism numbers and called the NAACP’s travel advisory a stunt.

Comments from Whitaker and Ritter have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Do you plan to use this challenge to educate visitors about diverse experiences you can have in Florida?

We invite anyone considering not coming to South Florida to first learn of all of the programs and partnerships in place that celebrate our diversity, Whitaker said. We at the bureau simply need to double down and make sure we get a chance to let visitors and potential visitors know their investment in Miami is an investment in our people and educate visitors about the diverse offerings and experiences they can find here.

How is Visit Lauderdale responding to the NAACP travel advisory?

We respect the decision of the NAACP to issue a travel advisory for Florida, Ritter said.

We in Broward County have a long history of supporting civil rights and equality and we are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all visitors, she said. We are a community that is open to all, and we welcome everyone under the sun.

We are hoping and believing we still get the millions of visitors we do every year from around the world of all races, ethnicity and genders. We want to make sure the people who work in tourism in Broward can keep working.

How does Miami’s cultural inclusivity make it an appealing destination for travelers of all backgrounds?

Diversity is in our cultural fabric, Whitaker said. Miami’s authenticity in terms of the diversity of our people, experiences, neighborhoods and heritages is one of, if not the key differentiator, for us as a travel and event destination.

Who do travel advisories like this affect the most?

A travel advisory like this one tends to hurt the people you least want to hurt, which are the small business owners that are often minority owned, said Ritter, a former Broward County commissioner.