From: stil@apanix.apana.org.au (Stilgharrian)
Subject: New Zealand government promotes tourism for gays/lesbians
Date: 19 Feb 1994 02:12:52 +1030

(From "The Australian", Australia's national daily newspaper, Friday 18th
February 1994. This was run on page three, with a photo of the two men in
question. This is prime mainstream media space.)

GAY TRAVELLERS MOUNT SEARCH FOR SLICE OF HEAVEN

by Penny Warneford

GAY couple Mr Andrew Stevens and Mr Brian Barron yesterday left Australia
for a six-day New Zealand holiday, images of which will feature in the
first tourism authority advertisements to specifically target the lucrative
gay and lesbian market.

The New Zealand Tourism Promotion Board send the pair to the land of the
long white cloud as part of its Slice of Heaven advertising campaign, which
kicked off last year. It features commercials showing footage from the
holidays of chosen families and couples.

When the advertisement depicting [the] trip of Mr Stevens and Mr Barron is
published in Australia's gay and lesbian press in April, it will represent
the first time a tourism authority has targeted the homosexual market here
using a marketplace strategy dedicated to this segment of consumers.

Research has indicated the gay population of Australia -- about 10 percent
-- travels more frequently and has a higher disposable income than the
average Australian.

A survey conducted last year by marketing consultancy Significant Others
for the gay and lesbian newspaper the Sydney Star Observer showed that more
than 60 per cent of gays had travelled both domestically and
internationally in the past three years.

The principal consultant for Significant Others, Mr Ian Johnson, estimated
the total annual dollar value of the Australian gay market was $42 billion
on the basis of income.

Despite the lucrative aspect of this market only a couple of airlines, the
odd hotel chain and specialist gay market travel agents have attempted to
tap into it through homosexual-specific advertising.

The marketing manager of the NZTB, Ms Linda Fleet, said gay men and
lesbians were an important niche travel market.

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The question is this:
Is the claim of this article true? Is it _really_ the first time that tourism
 has specifically been promoted to gay men and lesbians as part of a
 governemnt-funded campaign?

Stilgherrian

T
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