South Carolina To Reimburse Travel Agency

A Columbia, South Carolina group said Thursday it will reimburse the European travel agency approximately $5,000 it lost when a state tourism agency refused to pay for an ad campaign aimed at attracting more GLBT vacationers to South Carolina. South Carolina Pride stated it will ask for private donations to pay the cost of the ad campaign, which included posters in London subway stations.  The posters read “South Carolina is so gay”. After learning about the posters, lawmakers and anti-gay activists protested and the South Carolina department of parks, recreation and tourism refused to pay for the ads. A spokesman for governor Mark Sanford said “use of public advertising money to promote a social agenda was inappropriate.” The state tourism employee who approved the ad campaign has resigned.