Las Vegas targeting LGBT tourism dollars

Very interesting article in Vegas Inc. Magazine about marketing Las Vegas to the LGBT tourism market.

According to the article, gay and lesbian tourists are becoming more and more savvy about where to spend their dollars.

And with information like the HRC's Equality Index available via the internet on any smart phone, gay and lesbian tourists are doing their homework in deciding what Las Vegas destinations will get their business.

They can’t legally marry here. Many don’t feel comfortable walking hand-in-hand down the alcohol - powered Las Vegas Strip on a busy evening. But they have spending power — lots of it — and with the liberalization of attitudes toward gay individuals, Las Vegas travel marketers have become increasingly aggressive and nuanced in their outreach to the segment.

It’s no longer enough for marketers to simply slap a politically correct multi-colored rainbow flag on print and video ads while their own companies discriminate against their LGBT employees, denying them pay and benefits on a par with their straight counterparts.

“We have options. We don’t have to spend our money where we’re mistreated,” said David, a 45-year-old researcher from the Midwest, who despite the evolving era of enlightenment on gay issues, was too skittish to share his last name. “Zero is an embarrassing score for any company in today’s business world. Why would I spend my money with someone who doesn’t respect who I am?”

Read more at Vegas Inc Magazine.