New Gay Tourism Marketing

You are at the Gay Marketing 101 gay market updates site. To reach our main site on lesbian and gay market research, gay advertising and gay marketing strategies, visit OutNowConsulting.com.

TOPICS: Gay and lesbian travel market. Lesbian and gay tourism marketing in the US. Global gay tourism market. Lesbian and gay travel issues. Gay market research in the US. New gay travel marketing campaign launches in America. Gay cowboys not just part of Brokeback Mountain - they are real, and gay tourism bodies in Arizona want their slice of the gay travel market action.

Gay travel marketing commences way out west. Arizona, US tourism marketing bodies commence targeting lesbian and gay tourism market. Latest gay news - 17 January 2006. USA Today article.

Global gay marketing, gay advertising, lesbian and gay market research leaders. Gay Marketing 101 - The Out Now Updates.
OutNowConsulting.com | GayMarketing101.com
Companies marketing & advertising to gays and lesbians.
Better targeting of the lesbian and gay consumer market.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

You know you are at, or past, a gay market tipping point when tourism bodies in a state as way out west in the United States as Arizona actively commence lesbian and gay tourism marketing campaigns.

This gay tourism marketing article from USA Today highlights just how important the gay and lesbian travel segment is becoming.

Tailored gay advertising and gay marketing approaches are based on sound bottom-line business principles. There will always be some out there who do not like gay people, but it seems that the major tourism organisations of Arizona are not amongst them.

Looks like Brokeback Mountain is not just a story - gay cowboys are out there. For real.

###USA TODAY ARTICLE STARTS###

Arizona cities try and lure gay tourists

PHOENIX (AP) — Conservatives may be working to add a gay marriage ban on the ballot, but Arizona cities are working to welcome more gay tourists into the state.
The cities are vying for a slice of an estimated $65 billion gay travel market. To do that, cities are marketing the area as a cosmopolitan, tolerant place to vacation.

"My money spends like anyone else's," said Albuquerque resident Andee Henderson, 38, who was among the estimated crowd of 5,000 attending the Arizona Gay Rodeo Association's annual competition at Rawhide over the weekend.

With an 89-page visitors and relocation guide published by the Phoenix gay chamber of commerce flying off the shelves, Phoenix leaders are planing to discuss ways to strengthen the city's gay tourism plan.

Officials in Tucson, Sedona, Bisbee and Jerome say they informally angle for those visitors.

Tempe is in the midst of a sophisticated campaign to lure gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender travelers. The campaign began three years ago with careful research, said Stephanie Nowack, president and chief executive of the Tempe Convention & Visitors Bureau. The city later joined industry groups, sent city employees to conferences, bought ads in gay publications and launched a Web portal for gay, lesbian and transgendered visitors.

"I come from Fort Lauderdale, and I like places like that, where it's OK if I have a boyfriend, to hold his hand," said Alan Stark, 43.

But not everyone supports cities courting the gay community.

Leo Godzich, president of the National Association of Marriage Enhancement, says the cities risk destroying the Grand Canyon State's family friendly reputation by trying to wrangle in gay tourists.

"Our tourism dollars should be spent on the bulk of the population, not 2% of the population," Godzich said.

###ENDS###


For further gay marketing information, or to seek gay market advice, please contact:

Ian Johnson, Director, Out Now Consulting
landline: +32-2-514 6443
mobile: +32-4737 60886
web: OutNowConsulting.com
updates: Gay Marketing 101 - Gay Market Updates by Out Now

Out Now is your lesbian and gay advertising, training and marketing partner. Leaders in lesbian and gay market research, gay marketing strategy, gay and lesbian tailored advertising, gay market communications and training.