It’s not just Vancouver’s splendid mountain and ocean views that captivate international visitors. Gay and lesbian travellers like Karen Wetzel and Claudette Oster of Louisiana gravitated to the Great White North because of its famously tolerant attitudes. They weren’t disappointed.
The American couple married in Stanley Park on a warm April night in 2005. “It could not have been scripted more fabulously,” Wetzel says. “It was the most magical experience.”
The couple isn’t alone. Canada ranked No. 1 as the world’s most-visited international travel destination for the GLBT market, followed by Mexico and Great Britain, according to the 12th Annual Gay and Lesbian Tourism Study by Community Marketing Inc. (CMI) of San Francisco, CA, a marketing company that tracks the spending habits of American gays and lesbians. And Vancouver, BC scored as the No. 1 GLBT* Canadian city, followed by Montréal, QC and Toronto, ON.
The fact that gay marriage isn’t legal in the U.S. likely pushed Canada into the top international slot, says Jerry McHugh, CMI marketing manager.
Vancouver tourism officials are thrilled by the online survey results. They have put a lot of effort behind attracting gay travellers to the west coast, including consulting the city’s gay and lesbian community.
Rick Antonson, president and CEO of Tourism Vancouver, says his team has tried to avoid gay stereotypes — namely, citing bars and Pride celebrations — in promotion packages, sticking instead to practical travel information, such as whether or not same-sex couples will have difficulty checking into local hotels. Tourism Vancouver’s website lists all kinds of gay-friendly hotels, boutiques and clubs. And the word is out. www.tourismvancouver.com www.communitymarketinginc.com
*GLBT stands for Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender.