Gay Travel News: Spend! Spend! Spend!

Marriott International is joining an increasing number of American businesses embracing the power of the pink dollar by targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender customers.

A campaign featuring Jason Collins, the first openly gay National Basketball Association player, and Geena Rocero, the transgender model, has been launched as more resorts attempt to make LGBT tourists feel more welcome.

The annual spend on tourism by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is set to exceed $200 billion for the first time this year, according to Out Now Global, a specialist tourism trade association. The expansion of marriage equality laws in the United States — 19 states have legalised gay marriage — has led to a wave of other campaigns, including Las Vegas’s “Everyone’s welcome. Even straight people.”

Kristine Friend, senior director of segment marketing for Marriott International, said that the company wanted to shift the perception of its brand. “We are committed to ensuring that all of our guests feel comfortable at all of our hotels and are proud to stay with Marriott,” she said...

The Times.

$200 billion, you say?

Sure.
But can you show us your workings?

This figure has come from Out Now Consulting - famed for making up ludicrous over-estimations of gay spending power.

Why? Because they are a company that's all about marketing to the LGBT community, so have a vested financial interest in telling big business; 'There's gold in them there fags!'

Here's an old favourite of Fagburn's claiming that The Gays in Britain earn 25% more than the national average!

Sure - we all get paid extra just for being fabulous.

The myth of the Pink Pound has been thoroughly debunked on the thoroughly researched blog Gay Money: The truth about lesbian and gay economics - all serious research suggests gay men earn less btw. 

And how strange that much of the gay media is running the new ad campaign for Marriott Hotels.
Invariably accompanied by excitable advertorial/editoral about how wonderful it is.

Here's a fawning article on Gay Star News about Marriott's #LoveTravels campaign - the hotel chain are one of GSN's sponsors. 

It's one of the world's largest Mormon-own companies - you'll often find a copy of the Book of Mormon snuggling up to a Gideon Bible in your room. 

Here's what the Latter Day Saints official website has to say about homosexuality...

The Mormon Church is firm on its position condemning homosexuality as sinful behavior. One of the tenets of Mormon doctrine is the Law of Chastity. It permits sexual relations only between a husband and wife who are legally married...

The topic of gay Mormons is a difficult one right now because of the swing of popular opinion toward acceptance, but the Mormon Church cannot compromise the laws of God and counsels those who wish to follow Christ but suffer from same-sex attraction to work to overcome it.

Though they do really love you, or at least your money; by way of example CEO Bill Marriott issued a statement to reassure you that he didn't donate to California's anti-gay marriage Proposition 8. 

'The Bible that I love teaches me about honesty, integrity and unconditional love for all people. But beyond that, I am very careful about separating my personal faith and beliefs from how we run our business.'

Phew! That means the gay media don't have to call for a Dorchester-style boycott.

But does it just mean Bill knows being openly homophobic would be bad for business?


Don't know about you, but Fagburn didn't know whether to laugh or barf.