Visit Florida CEO responds to removal of LGBTQ pages [Video]

TAMPA, Fla. — The head of the state-funded tourism agency spoke for the first time about a controversial decision to remove a webpage on LGBTQ travel from the Visit Florida website. Visit Florida President and CEO Dana Young was in Tampa for a tourism conference.

“Visit Florida is a taxpayer-funded organization,” Young said to the Visit Florida Board of Directors. “And as such, Visit Florida, our marketing strategy and our materials, our content must align with the state. Florida has always been and will continue to be a very, very welcoming state.”

“That is evidenced by the incredible tourism numbers that we presented last week and at this board meeting and Visit Florida is committed to continue that message of being welcome to everyone forward as we move through the next year and …