Gay and lesbian tourists headed for Canada
With passage of its same-sex marriage bill, Canada opened the door for billions of dollars in new tourist spending.
Just how much is debatable.
The Canadian Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) says Canada can draw on a US lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender travel market estimated at $54 billion.
Last year, a US travel survey estimated the economic impact of same-sex marriage for Canada’s economy could be $1 billion over the next three years. But the CGLCC believes that figure is too low.
One obvious area where tourism will benefit is gay and lesbian couples coming here to get married.
New investments in the gay and lesbian travel market are coming from the Canadian Tourism Commission.
Destinations such as Montreal and Quebec have been investing in this market for years. They are now being joined by centers like Vancouver and Toronto.
“Other cities and provinces are lagging and may risk missing out on these opportunities,” said Bruce McDonald, a co-founder of the CGLCC.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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