Cleveland Wants Gay Tourism

TOPICS: Lesbian and gay tourism. New US gay travel marketing developments, US lesbian and gay tourism market. Lesbian and gay travel market news. Gay consumer destination travel marketing. US. Pride. Cleveland tourism via the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland is seeking to increase the city's appeal to lesbian and gay travel market through niche target marketing.

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So now it's Cleveland's turn.

I have it on very good authority from a friend from Cleveland that this city is a nice place, and that whilst not the gayest of gay towns - it does have a very viable lesbian and gay community.

This, and the increasing rush by US destinations - and those in many other countries - to attract the lesbian and gay travel dollar has not gone unnoticed by the tourism authorities in Cleveland.

There is a new emphasis by the city to target gay and lesbian travelers.

We think this will be good in the long run, though the city needs to remember the two fundamentals - deliver a good travel product to the lesbian and gay audience, and provide a truly Gay Comfortable environment. Since the State of Ohio currently has an anti-gay marriage statute on their books there will be a bit of work to be done by tourism authorities to meet that second goal of gay comfort, but the product is apparently good.

It is good to see the growing awareness of the strength of the gay market from so many destinations interested in gay travel.

Here is an extract from the gay travel article from the Coshocton Tribune (and that's a publication I had never dreamed we would be mentioning here at Gay Marketing 101 -- Gay Market News):

Cleveland hoping to attract gay tourists

CLEVELAND (AP) — Tourism officials hope to bring gay visitors to the city by designing a travel guide that features gay-owned businesses, along with other attractions.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland has asked the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Greater Cleveland for help with content, design and distribution. The guide should be finished this year.

“When I travel, I want to make sure that where I stay is a gay and lesbian friendly place,” said Sue Doerfer, the center’s executive director. “I want to make sure I’m not going to be given a hard time.”

About 65 cities have made a noticeable effort to attract tourists who are gay, said Ed Salvato, editor of The Out Traveler magazine.

The designers of Cleveland’s plan have to work around a 2004 ballot initiative that amended the Ohio Constitution to ban gay marriage.

Chris Long, president of Ohio’s Christian Alliance, said the visitors bureau should concentrate more on attracting families.

Salvato said Cleveland tourism officials would have to make sure gay travelers feel safe and comfortable in the city. He suggested a business could have a rainbow flag decal on the door.

“Gay people don’t want to be thought of as only a target market, a way to make money,” Salvato said. “We want to feel welcome and invited. I think it really has to be sincere.”

The visitors bureau could pair attractions such as gay restaurants and nightclubs with the region’s arts and culture, ethnic neighborhoods and shopping, said Tamera Brown, vice president of marketing.
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