WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A travel advisory warning is in effect for Florida as the civil rights organization Equality Florida said there's a dark cloud dimming over the Sunshine State.
"Several people have talked to me on the phone and said, 'What is happening down there?' And they are kind of in shock," Carl McCaskill, a short-term rental host in West Palm Beach, said.
Equality Florida said new laws impacting LGBTQ+ issues, reproductive rights, gun laws, racial topics and books in schools have triggered a surge in people asking if it's safe to visit Florida.
BREAKING: Today, we took the extraordinary step of issuing a travel advisory, warning of the risks posed to the health, safety, and freedom of those considering short or long term travel, or relocation to the state. pic.twitter.com/Wt8I5r90w9
— Equality Florida (@equalityfl) April 12, 2023
"Whether they're heterosexual or they're gay, I think they'd feel the same way, that you wouldn't want to take your family to a country if you didn't feel that there was safety in that place," McCaskill said.
He said even his clients have raised concerns.
"What's happening in Florida is national news and it feels caustic to them, and a lot of people have expressed they may not continue to come here," he said.
McCaskill said West Palm Beach is very inclusive. The tourism agency Discover the Palm Beaches reported that last year a record 9.1 million visitors came to the Palm Beaches.
"I think the most important impact it can have is to help people make informed decisions," Brandon Wolf, with Equality Florida, said of the travel advisory. "It comes with a heavy heart that we put out this advisory and I really want to welcome people and I only want to do so if it's safe for them."
Wolf said this is the first time the organization has had to issue a travel advisory.
"When you come to the state of Florida right now, your health, your safety and your freedoms are truly at risk," Wolf said.
He is encouraging people to get involved and be active with social issues in the state.
"That's going to require all of us rolling up our sleeves and doing the work, so we encourage you, regardless of whether you make the decision to travel to Florida or not, we ask you to get engaged in the fight," Wolf said.
Equality Florida plans to keep the travel advisory in effect for as long as certain policies are in place.