Pink Dollar At The End Of A Rainbow
New York City officials are reaching out to gay and lesbian tourists to help reduce a projected $4 billion (£2.7 billion) budget deficit.
They’ve launched a marketing campaign under the slogan ‘Join The Rainbow Pilgrimage.’ It highlights New York’s reputation as a gay-friendly travel destination and extols a visit to the city as ‘a rite of passage.’
The $1.9 million (£1.3 million) campaign includes ads in gay magazines in the US and Canada and outdoor advertising in Britain and Spain. There will also be travel packages that can be booked at a new website (nycgo.com/gay).
The start of the campaign comes a couple of months in advance of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in Manhattan - considered the start of the modern gay liberation movement.
New York city officials are grappling with falling revenue resulting from the global recession, which is forcing many people to forgo leisure travel plans or take so-called ‘staycations’ near home. The tourism industry believes gay people — who often live in two-income households without children — are less likely to cut back on travel.
According to the Mayor’s office, an estimated 47 million people visited the city last year, a record high that generated $30 billion (£20 billion) in spending. But New York, like many other major tourist destinations, is preparing for a sharp downturn in 2009.
by Andy Moreton
If you’re thinking about a vacation in the Big Apple, Luxique can help you find the hippest luxury hotels in New York.
