Tuesday, February 13, 2007

The Gays are Coming!!! The Gays are Coming!!!

Oh probably not. But they're being invited!

Cleveland is making an effort to attract the queers. All that disposable income they have can be used here on........on........um......on........wait a frickin' minute, I'm thinking.

The Travel Industry Association found the average gay party of 2.8 people spent an average $2,940 per trip, compared with $2,870 per trip spent by the average heterosexual party of 3.8 people. The $70 extra dollars we spend is just on fans, whistles and fancy soaps! Other than that, we're just like everyone else.

The gays can go to resturants, comedy clubs, bars and baths in any town....though the powers that be are quick to point out we have TWO bath houses! When is the last time that was a selling point for tourism? So what is the attraction here really?

I can't imagine the Indians are pulling in that many same-sex couple sports fans. I mean Thome and Omar are long gone! Maybe the draw is the Botanical Gardens or Rock N' Roll Hall o'Fame. What gay man doesn't love trees and a Blondie exhibit? More realistically, we're just going to be used as a stop over for the folks wanting to ride the coasters at Cedar Point. I mean, no one really wants to stay in Sandusky! Though there, you have your choice of Ponderosa or Sizzler!

Frankly, the entire initiative is all kind of a slap in the face. The state that spent the last three years to go out of its way to make its gay citizens feel unwelcome, now they want visitor dollars from the same group. FUCK THEM!

True to our proactive nature, we're following the lead of 67 other cities who are doing similar campaigns (I'm not making that number up either). We are so forward thinking, that we are probably only behind Ada, Oklahoma in this endeavour.

I'd pull off a YouTube of the Daily Show's Rob Cordray doing a piece a few years back regarding Philadelphia's campaign to lure gay tourists, but Viacom had them all yanked - and the Daily Show's site no longer has them on their own site. So I'll leave you with one of his questions to a Philly tourism leader:

"I'm a 19 yo meth addict with a love of historical documents - where can I go??"

Lordy!

3 comments:

Sue said...

They all could tour Cleveland's most famous Gay Blogging Establishment and visit the most famouse Blogger himself: BLOBBY!!!

Ready for the crowds? Dith could knit all kinds of hats like yours, and there could be little Blobby action figures, scented trading cards... Think of the merchandising opportunities! It boggles the mind.

Well, now that I have solved Cleveland's problem, on to world peace.

Anonymous said...

We really need to see you corporeally, Sue - you know us too well!

For now...just accept this virtual hug/embrace.

Sue said...

I accept! And offer one in return.