gay tourism

CLEVELAND (AP) — Tourism officials hope to bring gay visitors to the city by designing a travel guide that features gay-owned businesses, along with other attractions.The Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland has asked the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Greater Cleveland for help with content, design and distribution. The guide should be finished this year.“When I travel, I want to make sure that where I stay is a gay and lesbian friendly place,” said Sue Doerfer, the center’s executive director. “I want to make sure I’m not going to be given a hard time.”About 65 cities have made a noticeable effort to attract tourists who are gay, said Ed Salvato, editor of The Out Traveler magazine.The designers of Cleveland’s plan have to work around a 2004 ballot initiative that amended the Ohio Constitution to ban gay marriage.Chris Long, president of Ohio’s Christian Alliance, said the visitors bureau should concentrate more on attracting families.Salvato said Cleveland tourism officials would have to make sure gay travelers feel safe and comfortable in the city. He suggested a business could have a rainbow flag decal on the door.“Gay people don’t want to be thought of as only a target market, a way to make money,” Salvato said. “We want to feel welcome and invited. I think it really has to be sincere.”The visitors bureau could pair attractions such as gay restaurants and nightclubs with the region’s arts and culture, ethnic neighborhoods and shopping, said Tamera Brown, vice president of marketing.