Gay Travel

TOPICS: Gay travel. Companies targeting the gay travel market. Gay tourism market issues. LGBT travel. Targeting the gay travel market. Target marketing. Lesbian and gay travel marketing. Gay travel to Curacao - Caribbean tourism body targets gay travel market.

Ian Johnson, Out Now
July 12, 2007


There is an interesting article in the Miami Herald about Curacao - a tiny Caribbean travel resort - developing a gay travel marketing strategy.

The article has good points to make about the various issues that surround the marketing of gay travel generally, not just in relation to the gay travel plans of Curacao.

It is important to note that being merely 'tolerated' is not acceptable, as no leisure traveler ought to have to expect that. What is needed in successful gay travel marketing is to do the utmost to ensure that those visiting for gay travel feel they have enjoyed a relaxing time and that they have been respected by the travel destination and the travel suppliers.

Gay travel marketing does worst when destinations or travel suppliers see only the profit potential of the gay travel market without bothering to understand the concerns, attitudes and drivers of the gay travel market segment.

Here is an extract of the Miami Herald gay travel article:

GAY TRAVEL: Caribbean -- Make sure islands will welcome you
While the Caribbean lags behind most of the western world in terms of openness toward gay visitors, signs of change are coming into view.

For gay and lesbian travelers, planning a vacation in paradise requires more consideration than tossing flip-flops and a beach hat into a suitcase.

Many islands in this region have shown gay tourists a less-than-sunny side to their disposition.

In 2004, a Rosie O'Donnell R Family cruise, which caters to gay families, was met by 100 protesters when it stopped in The Bahamas.

The most noticeable signs of gay life can be found in American territories such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, particularly on St. Croix. Puerto Rico offers the largest concentration of gay bars (in San Juan) as well as the opportunity for a quiet gay getaway on the isle of Vieques. French and Dutch-speaking islands also lean toward tolerance. The French West Indies isle of St. Barts may not have any all-gay venues, but it's a popular choice among sophisticated gay travelers. Saba, the tiniest member of the Netherlands Antilles, frequently welcomes gay and lesbian scuba diving groups.

COURTING GAY MARKET

While the Caribbean lags far behind most of the western world in terms of openness toward gay residents and visitors, signs of a sea change are slowly coming into view. Most prominent is the work of the Curacao Tourism Board, which launched a gay website (www.gaycuracao.com) in January 2005 -- the Caribbean's first gay marketing campaign.

''We are committed to increasing Curacao's profile as a gay-friendly travel destination, and as a viable alternative in the Caribbean,'' said Andre Rojer, a marketing representative with the Curacao Tourism Board.

When a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship chartered by the gay company Atlantis Events recently stopped in Willemstad, Curac¸ao, each passenger received an invitation to an onshore ''Welcome to Curacao'' party organized by local organization Curacao Gay Plasa, Rojer said. The Dutch island, located 44 miles off the coast of Venezuela, is also home to the gay ''Get Wet'' weekend of parties and events, now in its third year; the 2007 schedule coincides with an International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association symposium on the island, Sept. 27-30.

The economic allure of the gay and lesbian traveler may eventually drive many more Caribbean destinations to try this welcoming approach. The Cayman Islands is notorious for shunning an Atlantis gay charter cruise in 1997, but Pilar Bush, director of the islands' tourism board, has spent the past two years working to improve her homeland's tarnished image.

On a regional level, hotel entrepreneur and airline industry veteran Allen Chastanet -- who as vice president of the St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association has often spoken out against homophobia -- was named the island's minister of tourism last December. As a result, he now chairs the influential 34-nation Caribbean Tourism Organization, which shapes tourism promotion policy for the entire region.

Chastanet has called homosexuality a tourism "nonissue.''

''I think we're all past that,'' he said.

If he's right, expect to see more gay tourism efforts popping up in the not-so-distant future. In the meantime, there are plenty of safe and entertaining possibilities for gay travelers to the region -- as long as they are realistic and don't expect to find gay amenities comparable to those in Amsterdam or San Francisco tucked away on an island in the Caribbean Sea.

For help with targeting the gay travel market most effectively, contact Out Now.

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