Value of the Pink Dollar

August 27, 2008 - 7:43 AM by Harry

Tel Aviv's Love ParadeJust over a year ago, USA Today estimated the American gay tourism market to be worth $55 billion in annual revenues.

The newspaper cited a series of ads run by the city of Philadelphia, in which the tagline “Get your history straight and your nightlife gay” raked in profits 153 times larger than the cost of the campaign. Similar tactics have raised eyebrows in places like Dallas and South Carolina, where the local culture might not be as alternative lifestyle-friendly as tourist bureau marketing executives might have mass media audiences think.

With its annual Love Parades and open nightlife scene providing an international draw, Tel Aviv has also emerged as a major gay tourism destination, a trend which has informed marketing outreach efforts, even if the city did end up losing out on its bid to host the 2009 EuroPride event as part of its centennial celebrations.

The Christian Science Monitor recently pointed out some of the nuances involved with marketing the Holy Land to a community whose lifestyle is still seen by many to be nothing but sinful:

Shai Doitsh, head of the gay tourism department at Agudah, Israel’s Association of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexuals, and Transgenders, says that thousands of gay tourists – both independent and groups – have come to Israel this year, infusing the economy with millions of so-called “pink dollars.” Five years ago, the numbers were in the hundreds. A decade ago there was virtually no market at all, he says.

But David Katz, a travel agent with Sar-El Tours in Jerusalem, whose main clients are religious pilgrims, points out that evangelical Christians make up the single largest group of tourists to the country, followed by Jewish interest tourists.

According to Ministry of Tourism statistics, some 44 percent of the 2.3 million tourists who came to Israel last year were religious Christians of different denominations. Highlighting “gay tourism,” says Mr. Katz, could easily unsettle some of the many visitors coming to experience the “land of the Bible.”

“Dealing with gay tourism has to be done in an intelligent and sensitive way,” says Yaniv Poria, a professor in the department of hotel and tourism management at Ben Gurion University in the Negev region and an expert on the subject. “It is wanted – it’s just tricky. Like so many things in Israel.”

Maybe Bruno’s recent visit here will open people’s eyes a bit – or at least make a lot more of us ashamed.

Image courtesy of ehud from Flickr under a Creative Commons license.

Tags: , , , , , , • Category: Business, General, History and Culture, Life, Travel 

Comments

2 Comments on Value of the Pink Dollar

  1. David-Joe on Thu, Aug 28th 2008 3:52 AM

    2. It is most unfortunate that Tel Aviv is becoming a major destination for deviant sexual behavior.

    “Euro pride?” Whats next? A destination of polygamists?

  2. Islamization of Ireland? - Page 28 - Politics.ie on Wed, Oct 15th 2008 6:19 PM

    3. [...] Originally Posted by Aindriu Of course, you are going to produce firm evidence to sustain your allegation aren’t you? Israelity Value of the Pink Dollar Tel Aviv to Promote Homosexual Tourism to Israel at Danish Event – Inside Israel – Israel News – Arutz Sheva israel today > Politics > Gay agenda takes spotlight in Israel The Jewish Quarterly Anything else I can help you with? __________________ "each man calls barbarism whatever is not his own practice," [...]

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