Apparently, There Is This Thing Called The ‘Gayborhood’

As you may know if you are me and you live in it and walk through it every day on your way to the office, there are a lot of gays in a certain section of Philadelphia, helpfully called the Gayborhood. A few years ago, the city realized gay people have a ton of disposable income and started marketing trips to Philadelphia for them; according to a report in 2005, Philly made $153 for every dollar spent on marketing.

But now with more places marketing to gays and lesbians — perhaps copying off Philly, a twist worthy of M. Night — Philly has to get a little more creative. The secret? Marketing toward… ah, groups of people, I guess.

With so much competition, it’s important for cities to play to their strengths, said Ben Finzel, co-founder of Out Front Blog. If they’re marketing to single gay men, for example, they should advertise opportunities for meeting other gay singles. Older gay couples might be more interested in hotels, dining options and historic sites. [...]

John Wermuth, 43, who lives in Atlanta, visits Philadelphia about once a year. On a recent trip, he went to Independence Hall, the Museum of Art and the theater — the same attractions that draw mainstream tourists. When he visits, he stays at the Alexander Inn, a gay-owned hotel in the heart of the “gayborhood,” an area of gay-friendly stores and restaurants.

But, as usual, the comment section wins the award for “most interesting part,” especially this comment by Camden Beer: “How much does the city pay per year to pick up used condoms that are littered everywhere on Chestnut Street?”

Philly refines its pitch to gay tourists [AP/Camden Courier-Post]
[Photo via GPTMC]