Death of a Gay Ghetto 7

Our coverage of the Death of Gay Vancouver continues.  A reader over there sent along an invitation by Tourism Vancouver, that's doing the rounds, for a press junket to Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast between May 17 - 22, 2013.  He rolled his eyes when he saw it.  Underlining by FuelMix:

Hi there

In partnership with Vancouver, Coast and Mountains tourism region, Tourism Vancouver is running a super-fun LGBT press trip to Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast from May 17 - 22. 

We have one spot left for the trip! If you are interested, or know someone who is, we'd love to hear from you. 

Trip details are below.

We are looking for a journalist with a confirmed assignment. If interested, please respond by Friday, April 26 and provide information on your potential coverage.

Hope to hear from you!   

XXX 

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LGBT Press Trip: Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast, B.C.

Vancouver’s gay and lesbian events are celebrated city-wide. Gay-focused activities include Pride Week (a mainstream event celebrated by locals and tourists, gay and straight alike), Vancouver Queer Film Festival and nearby Whistler’s WinterPRIDE gay ski weekend. Boasting the largest gay population in Western Canada, Vancouver and the surrounding areas entice more and more discerning gay visitors each year. 

Trip Overview: Beginning in Vancouver, media guests will experience the best of Vancouver’s gay culture (including the city’s gay neighbourhoods and nightlife), world-class cuisine, must-see attractions and more. Afterwards, attendees will take a quick 40-minute ferry to the neighbouring Sunshine Coast. With same-sex marriage legal in B.C. since 2003 (as it now is in all of Canada), the Sunshine Coast is the perfect romantic getaway for gay travellers. Here, guests will experience the laid-back, dreamy charm of the collective communities dotted along the waters of Howe Sound, experience ‘glamping’ at its finest in luxury tenthouse suites and get out on the water for some outdoor adventure.

Dates: May 17 – 22, 2013

Locations: Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast, B.C.

Includes: Flights from Canada and the United States, ground transportation, accommodations, meals and all activities. Vancouver accommodation hosted at the trendy Opus Hotel Vancouver, and Sunshine Coast accommodation hosted at the Rockwater Secret Cove Resort and Spa (in tenthouse suites), and Painted Boat Resort). Sorry, no guests.

Hosted by:  [xxxxxxxxx]

Contact: [xxxxxxx]

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FuelMix says:  

1.   We're not sure whether it's bravado or desperation or confusion, but a close reading of the official blurb bears the hallmarks of all three.  For starters, we're not sure why the "journalists" are being asked to provide information on their "potential coverage" even before going there.

2.   As for Vancouver's gay and lesbian events being "celebrated city-wide", that seems to be a bit of a stretch.  Are they confusing venues in different parts of the city, with actual celebrations.....?

 

3.   We beg to differ that Pride Week is indeed a mainstream event.  There is a Pride Parade which every year, gets into a bitching fest with the city as to its route. And as for Pride Week, other than advertising blitzes in the Food and Beverage outlets and clubs on Davie, we're not aware of any other serious mainstream interest - other than the obligatory congratulatory ads no doubt fueled by Political Correctness.

 

4.   In previous posts, we've already reported how underwhelming gay events in Whistler have turned out to be with the same cast of characters trucked up from Vancouver.

5.   It would appear that having the largest gay population in Western Canada does not equate to high quality.

6.   As for the "best of Vancouver's gay culture (including the city's gay neighbourhoods and nightlife)", we're baffled.  We've heard repeatedly from those living there just what a depressing scam that is purportedly manipulated and controlled by a bad - mouthing, drug dealing clique. Whilst it's true that the gay diaspora has split between the West End and the Commercial Drive/ East End area we would challenge Tourism Vancouver to state how the city's gay culture is in any way noteworthy.

7.  What is striking about the invitational blurb is that the focus isn't actually on Gay Vancouver, but rather on regions around it which at best, might be gay friendly.  In other words, it's not the "gayness" of the locality  - it's the potential appeal they might have to a gay tourist.  We've commented on this before in this series that Tourism Vancouver had shifted the emphasis to what might generally appeal to a gay man.  We suspected this was a result of realizing that Gay Vancouver itself had very little to offer the discerning gay traveler.

8.   The invitational blurb is carefully worded to suggest that there is a seamless integration between a high quality gay scene in Vancouver and other apparently international standard attractions within and around Vancouver.  We would suggest that the contrast between the actual gay scene in Vancouver and anything else, would be quite jarring.

9.  We're happy Tourism Vancouver is taking the initiative, but we would respectfully suggest that they be less confused and obfuscating in what they're actually advertising as a gay destination.  By our reading, it ain't Gay Vancouver - because there's not much to say or brag about. And therein lies the point. Gay Vancouver - even if it has more than one neighbourhood and forms part of the largest gay population in Western Canada -  cannot stand on its own.