Should Bermuda Go After Gay Tourism?

Promoting Bermuda as a gay-friendly destination is being tipped as a way to boost our ailing tourism industry. Travel insiders say putting out the welcome mat for gays could provide much needed revenue amid lean economic times. Hotel occupancy fell 11 per cent last year - and the downward trend is expected to continue this year.

But anecdotal evidence suggests this winter season has seen an increase in the number of gay visitors. We spoke to a handful of hospitality figures who noted that gays are typically big spenders with high disposable incomes who travel year-round (rather than only on school holidays).

When asked to comment, Carl Paiva, CEO of C-Travel, said the "gay dollar" is big business because most couples have a dual income without children. "Gay travel is a huge market all over the world," he told us. "To make money, it's the direction many cities go in. It would be sure to bring in more tourists and these types of travellers spend a lot of money. "Generally speaking they like to eat out, they enjoy a good nightlife and they tend to stay in some of the best hotels."

Full Story from the BDA Sun
Click here for gay travel resources.