Fort Lauderdale—Florida's LGBTQ+ capital—has proved that staying true to your values can be the best marketing strategy of all. In this IPW 2025 episode, recorded live on the conference floor in Chicago, Visit Lauderdale President and CEO Stacey Ritter sits down with Afar deputy editor Michelle Baran to discuss how her unconventional path from lawyer to politician to tourism leader has shaped her bold approach to destination marketing.

Ritter shares how Fort Lauderdale has doubled down on its "Everyone Under the Sun" campaign to celebrate diversity and inclusion, even amid challenging political climates in Florida—all while successfully differentiating the region from Miami as a diverse, more relaxed, flip flop–friendly destination.

Ritter also reveals what's on the horizon—Fort Lauderdale is hosting IPW 2026 at its newly expanded convention center with an 801-room Omni Fort Lauderdale hotel on the Intracoastal Waterway—as well as her newfound obsession with pickleball and the destination's first Michelin-starred restaurant.

What You’ll Learn

How Greater Fort Lauderdale ensures visitors know that everyone is welcome here

That Fort Lauderdale represents 170 nations and people who speak 148 languages, all united in making visitors feel genuinely welcome and at home

An Omni hotel at Fort Lauderdale’s convention center opens in September 2025

Fort Lauderdale is not a suburb of Miami, despite what a map may show you

That Visit Lauderdale is a tourism agency that leads with its values: being open and inclusive to everyone

Ritter’s insider tips for the best of Fort Lauderdale

Key Moments

[04:25] When Florida's tourism site removed its LQBTQ+ content, Greater Fort Lauderdale—the LGBTQ+ capital of Florida—doubled down, embracing its history. 

[07:31] A new facility has opened in Snyder Park with more than 40 pickleball courts, a bar and restaurant, and a lake with a beach. (You’ll find Ritter there.)

[9:44]: Ritter reminders listeners that “failure is an option in life, but not trying is never an option” 

[13:06] What makes Ft. Lauderdale so enticing? Warm water, top-rated restaurants you can access by boat, and great shopping. 

Resources

Read the transcript of this episode.

Learn more about the Visit Lauderdale.

Find Visit Lauderdale on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Read Afar’s Fort Lauderdale coverage.

📊 By the Numbers:  Broward County’s 2 million residents come from 170 countries and speak 140 languages. Ten percent of Broward’s residents are directly or indirectly employed in tourism. Fort Lauderdale has 24 miles of beach.

Also in this IPW series: Hear from Angela Val, President and CEO of Visit Philadelphia, about how this welcoming city is the birthplace of democracy.

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Explore our other podcasts, Travel Tales, where we share first-person narratives of trips that have changed us, and ⁠⁠Unpacked⁠⁠, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

This IPW 2025 special series was recorded live in Chicago. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media’s podcast network (email [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound.