CBC – LGBT tourism story
PEI Gay Tourism Association and Tourism PEI combine to market the Island as an LGBT welcoming destination. Check it out here
Travel Gay Canada Article
Thought you might be interested in this article written by Darrell Schuurman from Travel Gay Canada.
Pride Week 2014
The following is a tentative itinerary for Pride Week 2014. Times are subject to change:
Sunday July 27th: Church Service at St. Paul’s Anglican Church
Monday July 28: Island-wide rainbow flag raising ceremonies
Charlottetown City Hall – with political guest speakers
UPEI, Stratford, Cornwall, Summerside, Province House
Tuesday July 29: Yoga in the Park with Dynamic Fitness. 1 pm-3 pm
Wednesday July 30: Coffee House at Beanz Espresso Bar and Cafe. 7-9 pm
Thursday July 31: Pride Movie Night (time and place TBA)
Friday August 1: Youth Dance – UPEI McMillan Hall. 8-11 pm
Saturday August 2: Pride Parade (Time TBA)
Pride in the Park (immediately following Parade until 5pm)
Pride Gala (location TBA, 11 pm-2 am)
Watch this space for updates
Tour operators get lesson in being gay-friendly (CBC Article)
With tourism season fast approaching, operators from across the Island are getting a lesson in welcoming those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities.
Many Islanders in the tourism industry pride themselves on welcoming visitors but the organization Travel Gay Canada say there’s a lot more some could be doing.
Anne Marie Shrouder, of Travel Gay Canada, spent Friday morning educating operators on ways to make their businesses more LGBT-friendly.
Often, said Shrouder, it’s the more subtle reactions that are problematic for tourists in the gay community.
“I’m checking in with my partner and we’re both female and we want one bed. And it’s like, ‘Oh, right.’ Little things like that — eyebrow [raising], whispering behind the counter, and it all undermines my sense of ‘I want to be here,’” she said.
Bill Kendrick, chair of the P.E.I. Gay Tourism Association, said that’s not the attitude you want when trying to boost tourism in the province.
Kendrick formed the association a few years ago and it now has about 30 businesses on board.
“We’re not seen as a gay welcoming destination because we’ve never promoted ourselves as such. It’s one thing to say, ‘Yes, we’re welcoming to everyone.’ It’s another thing to really be welcoming,” he said.
Kendrick said there’s more the province can do to make P.E.I. more welcoming, for instance making the Island’s visitor’s guide more diverse. Every couple in the guide is heterosexual.
“To get tourists to come here, you have to really educate everybody that you have to go that further step. That means making it comfortable so they’ll come back,” said Vicki Francis, co-owner of Charlottetown’s Cranford Inn.
The Cranford Inn is a member of the P.E.I. Gay Tourism Association, which promotes LGBT-friendly destinations on the Island.
Francis said there’s still work to do.
“You know if you have a wedding ring on, someone might say ‘Where’s your husband?’ But it may not be a husband, it may a partner, same sex spouse,” she said.
Shrouder said she is confident workshops like this are making a difference for the benefit of the gay community and the tourism industry.
Gay Tourism Holds Great Potential for PEI
A recently released report from Travel Gay Canada indicates the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender) tourism market in Canada represents almost $7 Billion in annual spending in 2011. The report identifies the market as 2 million gay travellers with Prince Edward Island attracting only 2% of that market compared to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick who get 6%. Our neighbouring provinces generate 3 times the revenue from the gay travel market than we do.
Significantly though, LGBT travellers stay longer when they visit PEI than either Nova Scotia or New Brunswick with 60% staying for more than five days. So those gay tourists who come to the Island clearly find their vacation requirements are being met.
So while we have what the market is interested in, the challenge we face is finding a way to let the market know that and get them to decide to come to the Island for a holiday. The Travel Gay Canada report shows that 86% of gay travellers use LGBT magazines and travel guides as sources of information when deciding where to spend their vacations. They also use traditional online travel information sites but are clearly influenced by marketing directed specifically to them. Being visible in LGBT publications and travel sites sends a clear message of welcome that many gay travellers respond to.
The PEI Gay Tourism Association is a group of operators who have come together to explore ways to increase the number of LGBT travellers coming to the Island. The PEIGTA is developing a marketing strategy aimed at raising Prince Edward Island’s profile within the gay tourism market. Based on the Travel Gay Canada study, the most cited reasons by gay travellers for choosing a destination are rest/relaxation, shopping (local products) and safety. A perfect fit with the Gentle Island of Rejuvenation marketing strategy already in place. We just need to get that message in the right places.
If you see the potential of this market and you’re interested in participating in efforts to increase the number of LGBT travellers coming to PEI, please visit our website (www.gaytourismpei.ca). Information on membership is on the site. We currently have accommodations, restaurants, tour operators and marriage commissioners involved with the Association.
P.E.I. looks to lure gay travellers
Read the article recently published in the Edmonton Journal here
Des groupes touristiques visent à faire de l’Î.-P.-É. une destination accueillante pour les gais
Par Meghan Mulally – The Guardian
L’Association de l’industrie touristique (AIT) et Tourisme Î.-P.-É. affirment qu’ils travaillent sur les prochaines étapes visant à faire de l’île une destination touristique accueillante pour les gais.
Ed Salvato et Jeff Guarcino ont inspiré la création de l’Association du tourisme gai de l’Î.-P.-É. après leur présentation fructueuse à titre de conférenciers invités lors de l’assemblée annuelle de l’AIT à l’automne dernier.
Judy Pye, propriétaire de l’auberge Shipwright à Charlottetown, a parlé au nom de l’Association et a souligné que M. Salvato et M. Guarcino ont vraiment préparé le terrain pour l’Î.-P.-É.
« Nous poursuivons sur leur lancée visant à présenter l’Î.-P.-É. comme une destination touristique accueillante pour les gais. »
Mme Pye souligne que l’île ne profite pas pleinement de ce marché considérablement lucratif.
« Les faits sont clairs. Les nouveaux marchés attirent de nouveaux clients. Les avantages potentiels incluent attirer les voyageurs d’autres destinations et un nouveau type de voyageur à l’île. »
Les voyageurs gais ont également un impact économique plus important que les voyageurs hétérosexuels, selon Mme Pye.
« Un couple gai représente l’équivalent de trois couples hétérosexuels en termes de dépenses de voyage. »
L’Association a été inspirée par ce qu’elle a entendu, et elle savait qu’il était temps pour l’Î.-P.-É. de se mettre à l’avant-scène, souligne Mme Pye.
L’Association du tourisme gai de l’Î.-P.-É. a examiné les sites Web officiels du tourisme à l’échelle mondiale pour déterminer dans quelle mesure ils étaient ouverts aux gais.
« Malheureusement, les résultats étaient intrigants, mais aussi décevants, a dit Mme Pye. À l’exception de l’Allemagne et des Pays-Bas, tous les sites Web ont échoué lamentablement. La seule bonne nouvelle est que l’Î.-P.-É. n’était pas seule dans sa situation. »
Après avoir vu les résultats, l’Association a pris des mesures positives afin de présenter l’Î.-P.-É. comme une destination de tourisme gai, y compris la création d’un logo conçu par Tony Diodati, la conception d’une publicité publiée dans le guide touristique et des travaux continus au site Web officiel.
« Nous visons à changer les attitudes négatives et résistantes en attitudes d’appréciation et de respect mutuel », souligne Mme Pye.
Pour contribuer au changement des attitudes, l’Association offre une formation sur la diversité avec l’adhésion au groupe.
« Nous avons fait beaucoup de progrès en peu de temps, mais nous avons encore beaucoup de travail à faire », conclut Mme Pye.
« Nous pouvons aller de l’avant, nous allons aller de l’avant et établir l’Î.-P.-É. comme une destination accueillante pour les gais. »
