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Loading ...Will gays put the green back in the Big Apple?
04.08.2009 8:58am EDT
The nation’s largest city unveiled a marketing campaign Tuesday to attract more gay and lesbian tourists from around the country and the world as other U.S. cities compete to strip New York of its title of No. 1 vacation destination for gays and lesbians.
The Rainbow Pilgrimage campaign comes as state and city officials grapple with diminishing revenue resulting from the global economic meltdown, which is forcing many people to forgo leisure travel plans or take so-called staycations near home.
The campaign kickoff also comes months in advance of the June 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in Manhattan, considered the start of the modern gay liberation movement.
“This is a tough time for New York City’s budget,” said openly gay City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who made the announcement with Council Member Rosie Mendez and city tourism officials. Quinn noted that 20 percent to 25 percent of the city’s revenue comes from Wall Street, which remains in turmoil.
An estimated 47 million people visited the city last year, a record high that generated $30 billion in spending, also a record over 2007’s $28.9 billion, according to the mayor’s office. Gays and lesbians accounted for about 10 percent of those figures.
But state officials are predicting a decline this year in the city’s tourism industry.
The new campaign will highlight New York’s reputation as a gay-friendly travel destination and tout a visit to the city as a “rite of passage.” The campaign will include advertising on niche Web sites and in magazines, as well as bus stop shelters, utility poles, street furniture, telephone kiosks and railroad stations.
The NYC & Company nonprofit that handles marketing and tourism for the city is working with Travelocity.com and numerous hotels, restaurants and Broadway theaters to offer discounts. George Fertitta, the organization’s chief executive, said the announcement was made months before the Stonewall anniversary in late June to give potential tourists time to make plans.
NYC & Company spent $190,000 in city taxpayer money on the campaign but estimates that, through partnerships with advertising agencies, its value reaches nearly $2 million.
Overall, New York City remains the top leisure and business travel destination for gays and lesbians followed closely by Las Vegas and San Francisco, said David Paisley, a senior projects manager at Community Marketing Inc., a tourism research company that specializes in gay and lesbian consumers.
“There’s increasing competition from cities who are reaching out to gays and lesbians,” Paisley said. “New York needs to respond or it’ll lose the No. 1 position.”
The annual economic impact of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender travelers is about $70.3 billion in the United States, according to Community Marketing.
“It clearly is a market that has the flexibility to travel,” Fertitta said.
Sorry, NY. My next big vac will be to get married. I’m in AZ, so that puts Iowa ahead of you. Really. I’d rather make the trip to NYC, but I spend my gay dollars where they are welcomed.
anyone who wants to let NY know, as TJNV suggested, how they feel about the Rainbow Pilgrimage campaign can contact NY tourism boards at:
http://iloveny.com/ContactUs.aspx
traveltrade@nycgo.com
visitorinfo@nycgo.com
I suggest that if New York wants our money and our patronage then they put their mouths (and their votes) where OUR money is and pass marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples.
I’m frankly tired of states going all out to draw us to their states with PR stunts rather than with REAL signs that they truly care about us and our welfare.
I say Albany and NYC should put up or shut up.
No HONEY, no MONEY!
TJNV- you suggested that these comments should be sent to the NY government to let them know how we feel about the issue. Go to the website copied belw and you can address the issue to the NY marketing and tourism organization. It is a start. I just contacted them.
http://nycgo.com/?event=view.footerArticle&id=49560
I agree with all of the comments that I see on here so far- why would I go to NY/NYC to spend my money when they can’t give us our civil rights? I will be vacationing this summer in Vermont.
Someone needs to forward these comments to the N.Y. Gov, Senate & House. and the tourist board. Someone needs to also tell the Ca. Supreme court too…
We need to let these places that are so worried about “the will of the people” that these people will be spending their vacation dollars elsewhere.
Tom in Long Beach.
I live in NYC and love it. However I agree 100% that vacation dollars should be spent in states that support equality. Lets support the recent report that came out about boosting the economy based on ruling in favor of marriage equality!
As a man who has lived here since 1975, under Guilliani’s administration and right up to the current day, NYC has systematically done whatever it could to shut down night life in this city and particularly gay night life. My guess this was due to enhance real estate values and to play to the gentry. Now that they have a recession on their hands, they suddenly want to get the gay bucks back. All I can say, is if I was a young gay man looking to have a fun gay weekend I’d heat to Philly or any number of more gay friendly cities. I also agree, pass marriage equality and then you can show your serious about glbt rights. Searching for a fun gay time in this city, (I’m not talking sexually) is a depressing scenario to say the least.
Remember that their a-hole mayor, Bloomberg in NY city challenged a lower court ruling which held that same-sex couples could marry in NY a few years ago. We all know how that turned out when the gutless, status quo affirming New York’s highest court got a hold of the issue.
Bloomberg also vetoed a bill that would require contractors with the city to provide domestic partnership benefits to their employees if they took city tax dollars. Bloomberg is an ass and so is NY so far.
Kick out the conservative dems and put liberal third party candidates in their place who can caucus with the more fair-minded liberal dems. The same with the Congress in Washington DC and in the executive branch.
The Republicans are nearly all toxic and you can’t trust at least a third of the Democrats. That is especially true of that arrogant, self-centered, poll-driven, back-stabbing, cowardly hypocrite Obama.
http://www.queerty.com/obama-supported-gay-marriage-12-years-ago-today-not-so-much-20090113/
As a native New Yorker I really hope so. New York is a city for everyone and if gay people spend their money there it’s great. Gay people should ONLY spend in places that are gay-friendly and accepting to us. Stay away from Jamaica and don’t buy products from there either. Know before you go or spend! NY does need to pass marriage equality too!
Ditto marriage equality. We have more states to support now that support us. Spend those pink dollars there!
No Thanks! I’ll spend my money in CT, VT IA and MA. If you want my money NY they you know what to do. In the meantime, why don’t you market to the bible belt? You seem to be doing more concerned with their opinions anyway.
I am from New York. I encourage all others NOT to come here until New York (State) gives a reason – we need marriage equality and respect, especially if they want our money. No more being part of our own oppression.
Vermont is looking lovely, especially for a fall foliage weekend getaway. Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Boston, too. And, don’t forget Iowa. It could be interesting.
Gay dollars should go to gay friendly regions.
I would urge ALL LGBT people to spend thier tourists dollars in states that are LGBT affirming…sorry NYC/NY…you gotta a ways to go yet.
Dear New York,
Pass marriage equality, and my partner and I might consider stopping in for a few days. Right now, WE are leaning (HEAVILY) toward Vermont. THEY had the b@lls to pass marriage equality through the legislative branch of their government OVER the veto of the (right-wing, facist, pro-christian, SLIME BALL) governor.
You, New York, have a tall order on your hands. You can do it, but don’t expect to see ONE DIME of my gay money till you do.
Have a nice day! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!