Pittsburgh Reaches Out to Gay and Lesbian Tourists

Pittsburgh, PA - Pittsburgh—the newest gay hotspot? Maybe.

The wild success of gay specific marketing campaigns in destinations like Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale is apparently having a ripple effect in major cities across America, like Pittsburgh, where the pursuit of the pink dollar is reaching a fever pitch.

Like so many other cities, Pittsburgh is trying to attract more gay and lesbian visitors by tackling misconceptions about the town head on and showing the gay and lesbian community what it has to offer.

"Statistics tell us there is a lot of money to be had, a lot of money to spend," said Beverly Morrow-Jones of Visit Pittsburgh according to WTAE TV. "They like spending money and they like having a good time, and I think, just like everybody else, the gay and lesbian community wants to feel welcomed."

To this end Pittsburgh launched the LGBT specific Navigaytor travel guide, a joint venture between the Pittsburgh Convention & Visitors Bureau and Altus Group, a gay-owned marketing firm specializing in gay and lesbian and tourism and hospitality advertising. The purpose of the guide is to better expose the gay friendly side of Pittsburgh and to position the city as an inviting destination for gay and lesbian travelers.

So far the city's efforts to be more gay welcoming have been greeted enthusiastically by Pittsburgh's local LGBT community.

"I think it's huge," said Gary Van Horn of the Delta Foundation, which helps to unite Pittsburgh's gay community Van Horn. "I think they see that there is a huge market there and to kind of encompass that and bring them to Pittsburgh, I think, is great."

For more information on Pittsburgh gay-friendly travel options, go to: www.visitpittsburgh.com.

Written By Duane Wells