P.E.I. GAY TOURISM ASSOCIATION TO TEAM UP WITH PROVINCE FOR PHOTO SHOOT AND TELEVISION SEGMENT
The P.E.I. Gay Tourism Association is partnering with the provincial government for two projects that aim to attract LGBT tourists to the province.
The chairman of the association, Bill Kendrick, says that it is important for the LGBT community to see itself in tourism promotions; it will make them feel more welcome.
The Gay Tourism Association is working with the province to roll out a photo shoot featuring several same-sex couples as well as a 30-minute television segment designed to highlight P.E.I. that will air on a speciality channel that is aimed at an LGBT audience.
Currently, tourism for P.E.I. features only one photo of a gay couple. Kendrick says it's time to make an effort to include the LGBT community on a larger scale.
"If they do not see themselves reflected in that marketing, it doesn't say to them, 'This is a place that will welcome you,'" says Kendrick.
"It doesn't take overt advertising necessarily. It could just simply be a shot of a same-sex couple walking down the beach. That will say so much to that market."
Tourism PEI will be paying $15,000 for the television segment while the Gay Tourism Association will be covering accommodations, meals, and transportation for the film crew.
