LVCVA talking about marketing Las Vegas for same-sex honeymoons
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Brad Jones, Brian Chinn, and Robert Reitman enjoy the pool at Vdara at CityCenter. Last summer, the hotel launched Abbey Beach, a weekly pool party catering to LGBT guests. Several other hotels on the Strip have also launched similar pool parties to capitalize on the growing market.
Thursday
30 June 2011
1:55 a.m.
VEGAS INC coverage
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority may look at an opportunity to market Southern Nevada as a honeymoon destination for same-sex couples getting married in New York when marriages can be performed in that state next month.
Mya Lake Reyes, director of diversity marketing for the LVCVA, said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s signing of the Marriage Equality Act last Friday was still too recent for the agency that markets Southern Nevada tourism to develop a strategy for, but “I’ve already started talking about it with my colleagues.”
Reyes was one of three panelists who addressed marketing to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities with the Luxury Marketing Association on Wednesday.
New York became the latest state to legalize issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples, joining Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia. Rhode Island, New York and Maryland recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
Same-sex marriage was banned in Nevada in 2002 by a statewide vote, but the Nevada Legislature in 2009 passed and overrode Gov. Jim Gibbons’ veto of a bill recognizing domestic partnerships in the state.
Las Vegas is widely recognized as the “Marriage Capital of the World” because of the relative ease in obtaining a wedding license, and the LVCVA widely markets wedding chapels and the city as a honeymoon spot.
In her presentation to the association, Reyes said LVCVA estimates 83,000 room nights have been booked in Las Vegas by gay couples this year. At an average daily room rate of $129 a night, she said, lodging revenue would be $10.7 million. Other travel expenses boost spending by gay travelers in Las Vegas to an estimated $25.9 million.
Panelist Thomas Roth of San Francisco-based Community Marketing Inc., which specializes in consulting companies on reaching gay consumers, said one of the biggest mistakes companies make is projecting a gay-friendly image while discouraging employment benefits policies for workers.
“You need to do the ‘inreach’ before you do the outreach,” Roth said. “The community isn’t going to be fooled. They know that tourist destinations are going to be inviting, but it gets around if the workplace doesn’t have gay-friendly policies.”
Gay.TravelNevada.com, launched by the Nevada Tourism Commission, lists events of interest to the gay community and LGBT-friendly hotel properties.
Roth listed American Airlines, Wells Fargo, Absolut and the U.S. Census Bureau as having outstanding gay-friendly work environments. Reyes said several Las Vegas companies market well to gay travelers, including MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Las Vegas, the Tropicana and Maverick Aviation.
Several of those resort companies have developed websites specifically marketing to gay consumers. Reyes also noted that the Nevada Tourism Commission earlier this week unveiled a new website specifically geared to gay travelers and spotlighting events of interest to them.
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Uh oh! I'm putting my fingers in my ears. Someone let me know when the looney right stops wailing about this one!
Same-sex honeymoons? Can anyone think of anything else that conjures up such disgusting images in ones mind? Why can't these people just do their dirty, dangerous, deviant and potentially deadly sexual activities in private? There's no need for others to know.
Let them get married in New York State and party in Las Vegas.
I immediately bet that Jerry Fink would have a comment on this one. I wonder if he is one of those gay republicans who hates gays? As a homophobe, Jerry may be concerned that this activity would "make" him gay. LOL I love it!
Jerry's fears that he may be attracted to men not withstanding, this is just good business. The New York law is going to open the floodgates. The legislature there did a study that says hundreds of millions of dollars will flow into New York because of the gay weddings. Vegas is a natural place to honeymoon.
We need the revenue and we should match New York's law and allow gay weddings here too. Who cares? If guys like Jerry would just "man up" they wouldn't have to be afraid of people who are different.
There is no such thing as a same sex marriage by definition marriage is between a male and a female. Call it a union period full stop.
@Nick I thought you right wingers were all for state's rights? According to six states there IS such a thing as same sex marriage. I guess you are for state's rights except when you are against state's rights?
HA! Love the homophobes reaction to this story. It explains why Nevada is in the tough shape it is. We have a bunch of people who let their politics overrun the good sense it would take to recognize a chance to put people to work in our state.
"Same-sex marriage was banned in Nevada in 2002 by a statewide vote, but the Nevada Legislature in 2009 passed and overrode Gov. Jim Gibbons' veto of a bill recognizing domestic partnerships in the state."
The fact that the majority can have power over a minority of the population by creating laws which affect how they live their lives is just astounding. This law is no different than Jim Crow laws. I thought America had learned from that period of history. Some day the human race will learn from history, until then we are doomed to repeat it.
I'm not sure I care what the meaning of marriage is, but it's the hateful, disgusting, ignorant acts people will use to define it. This law could have easily been stated whites can't marry blacks or short people can't marry tall people. The law on it's face just doesn't sound it was produced by a society that is trying to advance itself. The people of Nevada managed to create a LAW denying others happiness very quickly and with gusto, but when it comes to diversifying the economy of Nevada we move at a snails pace. Unbelievable.
Promoting same-gender honeymoons in a region prohibiting same-gender marriage seems disingenuous at best. Hopefully the target market will have the good sense to spend their money where they are most fully appreciated.
Hate to burst your bubble, Scott, but I am not against "gay" marriage. Couldn't care less. I just don't need to know what people do in their private lives. Isn't anything private anymore? We have creepy-crawlers like Holly Madison being made into "stars" because she took to bed with Hugh Hefner and now disrobes before paying "fans." Why is that aired openly? Can't these shameless people just go about their business quietly?
@Jerry I don't believe a word you say but I'll play along - how is honeymooning as a gay couple any different than honeymooning as a straight couple? I am pretty sure most folks still consumate their vows in the privacy of their hotel room. How does that impact you? Mind your business.
@Vegasmodern it's only the small percentage of homophobes like you in Vegas who don't welcome these folks. I am straight as they come and not offended in the least bit if gay couples want to celebrate here. You might end up living in a place where people are employed that way.
Goodness. Scott Bourne, either you have comprehension issues, or I need to write in clearer, less nuanced, fashion. Perhaps it's a bit of both. I am strongly in favor of same-gender marriage and think same-gender couples (and their supporters) should consider limiting such expenditures to regions affording them the appropriate legal recognition.
@Vegasmodern you need to write in less nuanced fashion - and now that I understand your point I'd just say that I believe a majority of Clark County residents support gay marriage as do a majority of Americans and accordingly, gay couples should come spend their money right here. Sorry I misunderstood your point.
The fact that Nevada as a whole has not ushered in true marriage equality is not lost on the gay community, but Las Vegas has always been somewhat of a haven that they make an exception for.
There's not a single night during the week here that doesn't have something catered to the gay community. And most hotels have already realized that attracting GLBT clientel is an extremely lucrative business. They are statistically less likely to have kids, more apt to take vacations, and have more discretionary income to spend.
Logically speaking, the next step that should be taken is to cut out the middle man (New York) and make Las Vegas the one stop destination of choice for the gay community. Marriage and a honeymoon.
Can you imagine the money NV would make if this state legalized same-sex marriage? All those sad little chapels would be booming, along with wedding planners, caterers, florists, and on and on. Once again, the right-wing moral crusaders are showing who is really anti-business. Same goes with marijuana. Imagine all the businesses that would flourish if this state legalized it outright? We'd have tourists coming here just to smoke legally. But because the anti-business rightwingers don't like hippies, they fight its legalization. True libertarian Nevadans know that it's our heritage to think outside the moral box (see gambling, prostitution, prize fighting, quickie divorce/marriage).