Pittsburgh looks to attract more gay and lesbian tourists

[giza]

Seen in a Friends-only entry, so I'm keeping the source anyonmous:

PITTSBURGH -- Tourism is a multibillion-dollar business and fighting for a slice of the action means getting the word out about your city's offerings.

Pittsburgh is trying to attract more gay and lesbian visitors, but that means battling a few misconceptions about the town.

The city wants to show the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community or GLBT, a group that accounts for 10 percent of the U.S. travel market, what the city has to offer.
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"Statistics tell us there is a lot of money to be had, a lot of money to spend," said Beverly Morrow-Jones of Visit Pittsburgh. "They like spending money and they like having a good time, and I think, just like everybody else, the gay and lesbian community wants to feel welcomed."

So, Visit Pittsburgh is making its pitch, selling the city through inclusion in the gay-friendly NaviGaytor travel guide.

The rest of the article is at: http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/15113070/detail.html

And... NaviGAYtor travel guide...? I have got to get my hands on one of these.

'cause I never go to Pittsburgh, you know. :-)

[Edit: talvinamarich pointed out that the guide has a website at http://www.citynavigaytor.com/]

Comments

[rigelkitty.livejournal.com]

The inevitable question, as far-fetched as it may seem, is that, considering AC's ratio of GLBT, our publicity, and the $$$millions the mere 3000 of us contribute to the Pittsburgh economy over the course of only one weekend...did we have any indirect influence on this new direction? Hmm...

[giza.livejournal.com]

I've no idea, but I'm demanding my NaviGAYtor the next time I'm in Pittsburgh. :-)

[simbab.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I had the same thought. I wonder if they are aware of AC and the, uhm, favorable ratio of their target audience.

[talvinm.livejournal.com]

http://www.citynavigaytor.com/

[duncandahusky.livejournal.com]

Meh. I downloaded the Chicago one (apparently it was published for the 2006 Gay Games here) and was decidedly unimpressed. It's primarily a cursory listing of big-name gay events (i.e. Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Pride, etc.), a map lifted directly from the Chicago Transit Authority, and ads. Lots and lots and LOTS of ads, all businesses touting how gay or gay-friendly they are.

This is the kind of publication that is more of a symbolic gesture ("Look how welcoming we are to gays and lesbians!") than anything actually, you know, useful.

[simbab.livejournal.com]

I give you permission to credit me, but I found it at Good As You (http://www.goodasyou.org/).

[rassah.livejournal.com]

Bah. AnthroCon's gay population wasn't good enough for them?

[giza.livejournal.com]

Apparently not.

Only 31.5% of male furries (and ZERO female furries) who participated in this study (http://www2.asanet.org/sectionanimals/articles/GerbasilFurries.pdf) labeled themselves as homosexual.

[rassah.livejournal.com]

Hey, that's still 72% of furres who are NOT straight. I mean, technicaly I'm bisexual and labled mysef as such on that survey, too. I just like guys a hell of a lot more.