Jul. 16--When you think of gay travel destinations, you may think of San Francisco or Cape Cod... or Akron?
Well, maybe.
The folks at the Akron/Summit County Convention & Visitors Bureau are shaping plans to pursue the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender -- GLBT -- visitors.
"In an increasingly competitive economy, it is imperative for businesses and organizations of all kinds to aggressively identify and communicate with emerging market segments," Akron CVB spokesman Jim Mahon said in a meeting notice.
The Akron CVB will meet with gay-owned or -operated and gay-friendly businesses July 24 to see what incentives, promotions and programs it may offer to gay and lesbian travelers.
Perhaps of particular interest are gay males, who spend more than heterosexual men and lesbians on trips, according to a survey last year by the Travel Industry Association of America.
To capture some of the $55 billion GLBT market, communities have to demonstrate that they're gay-friendly. GLBT travelers want to go "where they can hold their partner's hand in public" and where they're free of intimidation and threats, according to the TIA survey.
"They want messages (developed directly for them), whether it's for cell phones or vitamins, you name it," Mahon said. "We want to compile and pool resources that are here."
Phil Craig, executive director of the Ohio Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus, said bureaus have to keep churning to reach markets beyond older ones, students and blacks.
"The consumer is being bombarded by radio, their BlackBerry, the Internet, TV, so the message has to be high-quality and have recency and the appeal has to be high," he said.
Already many CVBs are going after the gay market.
The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., partners with almost 100 bureaus worldwide, including Bloomington, Ind., Durham, N.C., and Minneapolis. Some CVBs "welcome all," others welcome heterosexuals and homosexuals, some are gay-friendly.
Cleveland is the only Ohio market to partner with the gay and lesbian travel group, and it is new to the market, unveiling its GLBT program just this year.
The Cleveland Web site touts "trendy and unique neighborhoods of Lakewood, Ohio City, Tremont, Coventry and the Detroit Shoreway (that) serve as areas for gay night life and culture."
The Cleveland visitors guide promotes gay-friendly businesses such as Flex, a full-service, clothing-optional hotel and spa for men; Five Cent Decision, a lesbian bar; and attractions for everybody, such as the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
Representatives of the online Edge Publications will visit Cleveland for a familiarization tour, said Samantha Fryberger, spokesperson for the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland.
"The only negative response has been from people who thought we were trying to change our focus away from families and the like," Fryberger said. "Truly, we're just adding another area of interest."
The Akron CVB got its toe wet in GLBT travel two years ago at a seminar sponsored by Community Marketing Inc., a San Francisco company that researches the gay market. Last year, it began to advertise in the weekly Gay People's Chronicle in Cleveland.
Now, it's at a fork in the road, said Mahon, the CVB spokesman. "We can't make up things. If there are incentives or hotel packages out there, that information needs to be fed to us so we can package it," he said.
Doug Santuri, chairman of the Akron-Area Pride Collective, said the area has much to offer the GLBT visitor.
The CVB could spotlight Highland Square, the West Akron neighborhood known to welcome the gay community, and Out in Akron, the Pride Center's annual fall festival. This year's events from Oct. 11 to 14 will include a hate crimes vigil, a film festival and "cabaret Q, " a showcasing of local talent.
The Pride Collective's Web site already lists many churches, bars and restaurants that provide services or discounts to the gay community.
Opening the Akron area's arms to the wider gay travelers is a good idea, Santuri said.
"We have the community, the businesses to put us on the map a little more prominently."
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