While the expansion of gay rights needs to occur because it is the right and moral thing, the current controversy in Ft. Lauderdale shows, in my opinion, that gays need to increasingly flex their buying power and avid cities, states and countries that are not gay friendly. The current concern of Ft. Lauderdale business community over the fallout of the statements of the city's anti-gay mayor are a case in point. This from the Miami Herald (http://www.miamiherald.com/103/story/182514.html):Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle's comments on beachgoers and gay sex created a local media flap, and Gary Mercado wants to keep it that way. Mercado, an owner of Fort Lauderdale's largest gay hotel, says he's fighting initial instincts to wage a public battle with Naugle for fear of national publicity hurting Broward County's lucrative gay travel market. ''I don't want to add fuel to the fire,'' said Mercado, who owns the Elysium Resort with partner Steven Barnes. ``I'm not really sure we want to escalate this past the local level because it might have repercussions for the travel industry.'' Headlines and blog entries emerged as a top concern this week as one of the country's most popular gay vacation spots faces another controversy over local government and homophobia.
Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, said staff contacted paid media watchers in New York and Europe to see how far the story had spread. She also consulted with the bureau's New York public relations firm, which advised against drawing extra attention. ''Some are urging responses,'' Grossman said of local tourism-dependent businesses. ``Right now we don't think an overreaction to what's happening is necessary.''
The bureau has fought hard for the increasingly competitive gay travel market, which last year accounted for about 11 percent of Broward's $8.5 billion tourism industry. Fort Lauderdale ranked No. 6 among gay travelers last year, beating out Miami, Orlando and Chicago.
A slowdown in gay travelers could exacerbate a tourism slowdown in Broward. With many budget hotels demolished or converted to condominiums, the longtime spring-break favorite is pursuing more affluent travelers and welcoming a string of luxury resorts. But occupancy is down seven points this year, according to Smith Travel Research, and room revenues have only increased one percent. Grossman called gay vacationers one of the most loyal and deep-pocketed travel segments for Broward, a niche that returned quickly after the 2001 terrorist attacks and doesn't mind paying high room rates. ''Really, that market was our first luxury traveler,'' she said.
It's amazing how much businesses and/or local politicians will change their tune when bigotry and discriminatory religious views hit them directly in the pocket book. A case in point is what happened when I lived in Alabama: there were many "dry counties" where alcohol was not sold. As soon as the state legislature changed the way alcohol derived state funds were distributed - i.e., only wet counties shared in the revenues - suddenly almost every dry county in the state had a political change and amended their laws to allow alcohol sales. If even backward parts of Alabama can get this type of message, certainly more progressive areas seeking tourist dollars will as well.
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