Gay travellers targeted despite rights setback

Gay travellers targeted despite rights setback

New tourism campaigns targeting the global gay travel market will try and entice queer visitors to the Gold Coast, Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef region in Queensland, despite the recent series of rights rollbacks that led to threats to boycott the state by the LGBT community.

Last week, Gold Coast Tourism revealed its ‘Famous for fun’ campaign would be aimed at gay and lesbian travellers in a push devised by Pink Media Group.

“We have spent a few years now building the foundation of our gay and lesbian offering by assisting the local industry with accreditation, working with businesses to understand sector expectations, and building engagement through online channels,” said Gold Coast Tourism’s director of communications and marketing, Ben Pole.

“Recently we integrated more specific gay and lesbian themes into the destination’s overarching Famous for fun positioning with some great local talent to show that the Gold Coast really is fun for everyone.”

New company GayCairns also announced its own tourism drive, which will attempt to put the spotlight on the scenery and lesser known thriving gay community in Cairns.

“The greatest destination motivators for gay travellers is sun, beach, water and a safe environment. Here in Cairns we’ve got it all, we just need to tell the gay world it’s here,” GayCairns owner Jay Horne said.

“We already get relatively small numbers of gay and lesbian travellers who are drawn to the region via mainstream marketing, but we want to shout it out directly to them and give them more reasons to visit.”

Last month, members of Cairns’ LGBT community attempted to confront Premier Campbell Newman and Cairns MP Gavin King outside the Destination Q tourism conference at the Cairns Reef Hotel to express concern that reforms by the LNP Government would negatively impact the tourism industry.

But King, who is the state’s assistant minister for tourism, has lent his support for the ‘go2GayCairns’ campaign.

“Anything that attracts more travellers to the region and diversifies the tourism industry is a plus, even more so this particular niche that go2GayCairns are targeting,” he said.

GayCairns is currently looking for the faces of their campaign, with the winners to be photographed in iconic locations around the region to showcase the beauty of the area – and its locals.

You can enter the competition to appear in the worldwide campaign before July 31.

INFO: Find out more at facebook.com/go2gaycairns and GayGoldCoast.com.au

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16 responses to “Gay travellers targeted despite rights setback”

  1. Yes the Qld Govt has buried its heads in the sand once more, but we still have gay owned and operated businesses here that need the support.

  2. My partner and I have a holiday rental unit near Cairns and we always go there during winter. But not this winter and not for a long while I would think!

  3. I agree, but why stop at personal boycotts? Let’s ramp it up and boycott Qld-based corporates unless they oppose the civil unions and surrogacy rollbacks as well.

  4. We could all go and join them in singing a few psalms.
    We won’t be going north though. I used to think their red necks were from the sun…

  5. I would boycott Qld as well. In fact my bf and I are going to Bali and Hong Kong. I feel for the gay friendly business and and supporters. Any way to support those people and make a message known to the Qld govt its not right?

  6. We were going to come to Qld and stay in Brisbane – not any more.
    Very sad for Qld

  7. LOL all i have to say to this is get lost queensland! Who in their right mind would want to go to the gold coast anyway? Its bogan central!

  8. We should all boycott Queensland until The Queensland Government amends it’s way and bring back civil partnerships etc.

    This will Hurt Queensland than any other protest. Protest with our wallets. Their loss, not ours.

  9. I have many great Qld LGBTI friends. I love it up there.

    But how can I support the economy of a State that is systematically eroding the rights of it’s LGBTI citizens. Its sad to say but I can’t visit Qld at present without a dull ache in my heart for what is happening. I’ll be giving it a miss.

  10. We’ve already cancelled our Qld holiday – it wasn’t to Cairns – just to the Gold Coast. They probably won’t miss our money but it was our way of showin our disgust: no wonder we need federal marriage and equality laws.
    Joseph

  11. I still say, go to Bali this year. Give the Queensland govt a year to re-think their recent actions. Give Queensland a miss in 2012