Florida Governor to Visit Lloyd’s, Airshow in London

Gov. Rick Scott is jetting off for foreign soil again – this time to the United Kingdom.

Scott and his entourage left Saturday on a five-day trip that will include a visit to the world’s leading market for specialist insurance, Lloyd’s of London, and the Farnborough International Air Show.

Scott aide Brian Burgess said Friday the governor has a series of meetings scheduled with executives in the aerospace industry who are in England for the air show where Florida will host a pavilion.

Florida is home to a dozen military aviation installations, three spaceports and 2,000 companies with 83,000 employees connected to the aviation and aerospace industry.

Scott will be accompanied by several members of his staff, Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty and an entourage of Florida business leaders.

In his first year-and-a-half as Florida’s governor, Scott has already visited Brazil, Canada, Israel, Panama and Spain.

It was in Spain in late May when Scott became entangled in an awkward moment with Spanish King Juan Carlos that was played and replayed on Spanish television or its comedic value.

Scott repeatedly asked the monarch about a recent and controversial elephant hunt in Botswana. The 74-year-old king injured both his hip and his public standing by going on the expensive hunt while his country confronts a deep financial crisis. Scott later told the king he should have come up with a better tale than saying he hurt his hip getting out of bed.

Expenses for the governor and Mrs. Ann Scott for the “economic development mission” to the United Kingdom are covered by Enterprise Florida from private donations. Most of the remainder of the delegation will pay their own expenses, Burgess said.