Marketing hotels as gay friendly

Clearly there are small isolated hotels like Blue Moon which are presumably run by gay owners catering exclusively to gay men.

But now that major corporations like Ceasars have campaigns like the one at Paris Hotel I am curious how most members of the GLBT community react. Are you happy to have advertising campaigns aimed at you and feel more comfortable at this casino, are you indifferent to such advertising, or do you feel that major corporations are simply slapping on a GLBT label in a callous effort to increase revenue and isolate their GLBT customers to one property?

Casinos have been doing different marketing to Asian players for years. That's predominantly based on gambling habits, though, while it looks like the GLBT campaign at Caesars is focused on non-gaming amenities (the images showed nightlife and shopping activities, not wagering). But there's nothing strange or novel about demographic marketing. Caesars has elevated it to an art form.

Quote: MathExtremist

Caesars has elevated it to an art form.

Is it just me that still has to stop myself from calling Caesars Harrah's?

Jeez, we played in Paris in October, and didn't notice anything gay about it. But we're from out of town, so maybe we didn't know where to look?

Many years ago I was in London and went to a British Music Hall supper club called the Players' Theatre Club . Music Hall is similar to American vaudeville. Of course a ticket to a single night's performance without dinner was probably the same as a member's pass which included dinner.

One line delivered by the emcee was a sincere welcome to all the Americans in the audience. He said We love you to which the audience replied in unison and we love your money. Of course the dollar was much stronger in those days.

I am sure that the tourist money kept the institution going much longer than it otherwise would have, but you would have to be ultra-cynical to take the joke about the prices was all in good fun.


But now it seems like we are all members of some marketing demographic.

From the home page of the Blue Moon Resort:

Quote:

Experience Gay Las Vegas in the comfort of an All Male environment with a Staff trained to meet the needs of the Gay Male Traveler.

Help out an old guy: what are the needs of the Gay Male Traveler, and what kind of training is involved in meeting them?

Quote: Croupier

Is it just me that still has to stop myself from calling Caesars Harrah's?

Ditto.

Quote: Mosca

Jeez, we played in Paris in October, and didn't notice anything gay about it. But we're from out of town, so maybe we didn't know where to look?

A few years back, the wife & I went to Disney World during Gay Week. We were meeting some gay Florida firends that were there specifically for the gay events.

Things really didn't look all that gay to us. However, our friends showed us the list of private events specifically for gay week.

On Thursday, the wife & I were at the improv comedy show. Thursday is also cast member (employee) night. The MC was interviewing a couple who were their with their kids, and asked "Did your travel agent tell you that the cleintelle might be a little 'different' this week?" You could almost see the dividing line in the audience of gay and/or cast members. Those that weren't laughing truly did not know it was gay week.

Quote: pacomartin

But now that major corporations like Ceasars have campaigns like the one at Paris Hotel I am curious how most members of the GLBT community react. Are you happy to have advertising campaigns aimed at you and feel more comfortable at this casino, are you indifferent to such advertising, or do you feel that major corporations are simply slapping on a GLBT label in a callous effort to increase revenue and isolate their GLBT customers to one property?

I see it as a positive development. Of course they are after money, but all businesses are. I don't resent that, since I'm going to be spending money anyway. But I appreciate if a particualr hotel tells me I'm welcome there. Lately I suppose that's the case with many other businesses even if they don't advertise.

I do ahve to echo what others ahve posted, though. I've never stayed at Paris, but I do go there a lot, mostly to sight-see and shop, and last time for the buffet. So I spend a fair amount of time there. I dind't see any gay or lesbian couple, nor anyone that might have been TG (not that I was looking, mind). I suppose that market segment is just too small to be noticeable.

Quote: Calder

From the home page of the Blue Moon Resort:

Experience Gay Las Vegas in the comfort of an All Male environment with a Staff trained to meet the needs of the Gay Male Traveler.

Where is the Federal Government on this one as this is clearly discriminitory, isn't it?

Quote: AZDuffman

Where is the Federal Government on this one as this is clearly discriminatory, isn't it?

Just substitute 'Hetero' where it says Gay and male. Nobody would object to that, right?

Quote: Calder

From the home page of the Blue Moon Resort:



Help out an old guy: what are the needs of the Gay Male Traveler, and what kind of training is involved in meeting them?

I'm curious also. Gays are always telling us they are 'just like everybody else, please treat us that way'. Now they're saying the staff needs special 'training' because they aren't like everybody else at all. Whats going on?

Positive Discrimination is the term that has been bandied about in the UK regarding this kind of thing.

It is policy designed to favour some deprived region or minority and to redress, at least in part, uneven development. Policies of positive discrimination have been criticized for treating the effects of inequality rather than tackling its causes.

Quote: Croupier

Positive Discrimination is the term that has been bandied about in the UK regarding this kind of thing.

It is policy designed to favour some deprived region or minority and to redress, at least in part, uneven development. Policies of positive discrimination have been criticized for treating the effects of inequality rather than tackling its causes.

More discrimination to make up for discrimination in the past? You can't be serious. Discrimination is discrimination, what the hell difference does it make who's doing it or why.

Quote: Croupier

Positive Discrimination...

Here it's called Reverse Discrimination, and was (is?) a big problem. I.E. Two job candidates have similar qualifications. Reverse discrimination dictated that the job goes to the minority candidate.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Here it's called Reverse Discrimination, and was (is?) a big problem. I.E. Two job candidates have similar qualifications. Reverse discrimination dictated that the job goes to the minority candidate.

It is a big problem because it punishes people for something their ancestors might or might not have done, in order to favor an applicant whose ancestors might or might not have had things done to them. Then there are quotas and other nonsense. I think most of Western society has moved past that, though, and if not then it should.

Overall firms ought to hire the people who can do the job best, regardless of other considerations. Sometimes, however, some physical characteristics determine one's ability to do the job. How many waiters have you seen at a Hooters restaurant? For their business model, waiters are a stupid idea. Whether their business model is any good or not, that's for them to decide. Since they've been around for some years, I suppose it is working.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Here it's called Reverse Discrimination, and was (is?) a big problem. I.E. Two job candidates have similar qualifications. Reverse discrimination dictated that the job goes to the minority candidate.

Reverse discrimination deals with things that everyone wants like a good paying job and promotions. With the number of hotel rooms available in Las Vegas, straight men do not want to stay at the Blue Moon Hotel. I remember that some contractors wanted to stay at the La Te Da hotel in Key West. They said that the front desk asked them if they realized that the "La Te Da" was traditionally a gay hotel. The guys said that it was nice and convenient and they didn't want to look for different rooms so they were checked in anyway.

Quote: pacomartin

With the number of hotel rooms available in Las Vegas, straight men do not want to stay at the Blue Moon Hotel. .

Why not? Gay men have no problem staying at 'straight' hotels, what goes on at a Gay hotel that makes straight men not want to stay there. This is very confusing, please give some details. Are you saying Gay men are different, when you've been pounding it down our throats for decades that you're exactly the same?

Quote: EvenBob

Are you saying Gay men are different, when you've been pounding it down our throats for decades that you're exactly the same?

Do you know for a fact Paco is gay?

What are you so angry about anwyay?

Quote: Nareed

Do you know for a fact Paco is gay?

Who said he was Gay? He made a statement that straight men don't want to stay at Gay hotels. WHY NOT? It makes no sense if what you say is true and Gays are NO DIFFERENT that straights. It does, however, make perfect sense if indeed Gays are very different than straights, which is not what you've been telling us for the last 20 years.

Quote: EvenBob

Who said he was Gay? He made a statement that straight men don't want to stay at Gay hotels. WHY NOT? It makes no sense if what you say is true and Gays are NO DIFFERENT that straights. It does, however, make perfect sense if indeed Gays are very different than straights, which is not what you've been telling us for the last 20 years.

I haven't been telling you anything for the past 20 years, and I'm sure Paco hasn't either.

Quote: Nareed

I haven't been telling you anything for the past 20 years, and I'm sure Paco hasn't either.

The Gay community certainly has. So are you saying you disagree with them?

pacomartin has created an interesting poll. I agree with many that marketing is marketing is marketing, so the signifigance of such a campaign doesn't mean much to the hetero market. The fact is that if you are a group who has been ignored for ages, for companies to reverse the trend and say "we know you are coming to spend your $$ here and want to help you feel more welcome" is kind cool.

Many GLBT couples are DINKs and therefore represent more disposable income. If it weren't for the immense pressure from socially conservative forces, I think we'd see much more targeted GLBT consumer marketing across the board.

As far as what sort of "special training" one might need to run a hotel for gay men, I can only guess since I am not one. My impression is that is partly a joke, and implies that they won't freak out about PDAs in public areas and that kind of stuff. They are probably likely to be more aware and sensitive to issues relating to HIV+ guests. I think they are trying to say they have vetted the staff well. I doubt they ask about one's sexuality when making a reservation, so if straight guys want to stay there (go figure) I don't see why they couldn't. Of course in that case they shouldn't be shocked to encounter homosexuals and maybe even be propositioned.

I always go with which hotel offers me the best deal (excluding IP) I have found to have the most fun playing at the NY NY while on the strip, probably because I have some friends that work there, but since I am married there is no need to go to nightclubs, sigh all that stuff became boring after I got married. Anyway marketing to gay travelers works just as well as marketing to any other section, the hotel staff do not really care who is staying in the room they just earn their hourly wage and keep punching the computer.

Quote: EvenBob

Just substitute 'Hetero' where it says Gay and male. Nobody would object to that, right?

Of course not! And the federal government had no problem with southern hotels and restaurants marketing themselves to whites. I still wonder why that practice died out?!

Maybe we could get an investor group together and buy Binions and re-open the hotel marketing to straight males. Straight males are often depicted in a negative way in movies and TV so they might have "special needs and wants" in a hotel. We could give the staff special sensitivity training and everything! Are you in, EB?

Quote: lazabout

I doubt they ask about one's sexuality when making a reservation, so if straight guys want to stay there (go figure) I don't see why they couldn't. .

You're joking, right? You actually think a hotel anywhere in this country can refuse service to Gays or straights based on their sexual preference? Can you smell the lawsuit? How does one know when he 'encounters homosexuals', do they look different than everybody else?

Quote: AZDuffman

Of course not! And the federal government had no problem with southern hotels and restaurants marketing themselves to whites. I still wonder why that practice died out?!

Vegas itself wouldn't let Sammy Davis in the regular part of the hotel after he performed, and that was in the 60's. A guy in another thread says he 'thinks' Gay hotels can't keep straights out. The mind boggles..

<<<Maybe we could get an investor group together and buy Binions and re-open the hotel marketing to straight males. Straight males are often depicted in a negative way in movies and TV so they might have "special needs and wants" in a hotel. We could give the staff special sensitivity training and everything! Are you in, EB?>>>

Its an idea who's time has come. Its well known that straight males have 'special needs' and we could cater to those needs. From all the posts in the different threads, the Gays are saying they aren't like straights at all, like they've been telling us since the 80's. What a shock, I wonder who's surprised.

Quote: EvenBob

You're joking, right? You actually think a hotel anywhere in this country can refuse service to Gays or straights based on their sexual preference? Can you smell the lawsuit? How does one know when he 'encounters homosexuals', do they look different than everybody else?

When I posted this I hadn't yet figured out how to quote. I was talking about the Blue Moon hotel the OP referred to.

There are plenty of ways to "refuse service" without having tangible grounds for winning a lawsuit anyway. Mostly by making sure you don't feel welcome. Few people want to spend much time somewhere they are uncomfortable.

Some homosexuals are more obvious than others. Just like some heterosexuals are. And some people are more attuned to notice things which might indicate one swings one way or another. Fact is there is a whole lot more gray out there than black and white. Most people don't really care one way or another unless they are interested in having more than a superficial connection with someone.

Quote: lazabout

Some homosexuals are more obvious than others. Just like some heterosexuals are.

Please give some examples of 'obvious heterosexuals', I have no idea what you're talking about. What is an 'obvious homosexual', I'm curious about that too. Such stereotyping is generally frowned upon, but now that you've brought it up, please enlighten us further.

There is obviously sexual advertising like that for Krave nightclub which is attached to Planet Hollywood. My personal reaction is fairly cynical. It is ridiculous that gay visitors would feel more welcome at the Paris than the attached Bally's hotel or at Planet Hollywood with it's major gay nightclub.

If Ceasars really wanted gays to feel welcome they should provide assurances that they will not be discriminated at any of their hotels. I see the selection of Paris Casino as GLBT friendly as a way for the corporation to get in good graces with this wealthy demographic while not scaring any of the core demographics that would stay at Bally's (budget & family), Planet Hollywood (young heterosexuals and businessmen having conventions).

Quote: EvenBob

Please give some examples of 'obvious heterosexuals', I have no idea what you're talking about. What is an 'obvious homosexual', I'm curious about that too. Such stereotyping is generally frowned upon, but now that you've brought it up, please enlighten us further.

As tempting as it may be to discuss the roots of stereotypes, I think the better action is for me to take the advice of another forum member and disengage from your antagonism.

There are several resort hotels to the west of Guerneville, CA, which is west of Santa Rosa on the Russian River, that have explicitly catered to and welcomed a gay clientele for decades. It's well known in the surrounding community, and no one seems to get exercised about it. Those resorts are in beautiful spots in the redwood forests along the river, and they do a land-office business in the summer. I suspect that being a gay-friendly resort is a sound business tactic.

Sound business tactic?
I know of one motel that offers lockable work-areas and parking for motorcycles.
There is a hotel in Texas that offers free binoculars for viewing of a bat cave.
A few casino-hotels even offer Pet Friendly accommodations.
Its all a business tactic. Sound is determined solely by how profitable it turns out to be.

Quote: AZDuffman

Where is the Federal Government on this one as this is clearly discriminatory, isn't it?

Quote: EvenBob

Just substitute 'Hetero' where it says Gay and male. Nobody would object to that, right?

You're Fired!

This is an interesting discussion. First, ENDA hasn't passed so it's still okay with the Federal government for anyone to refuse service to anyone else based on their perceived sexual orientation. If you are a boss and you think that your employee might be a friend of Dorothy, it's perfectly fine to fire him. Heck, it's still technically required in the military. If there were a lawsuit brought against a company that does that, it would have to be under a State or Local law. Although some circuit courts have found that Gays are a suspect class, the challenge hasn't yet risen to the Supreme court. Protections for GLBT people are not national.

Proclo: You could catch athlete's foot in a place like this!
Tiger: You're lucky if that's all you catch.

The Blue Moon resort is not a place where a heterosexual person would accidentally book a room. First off, they charge an arm and a leg to stay there. They don't have a casino and let's face it, the place is a wreck found beneath I-15. The pool has a cute waterfall feature but it's not worth paying $75 per night. So what is worth paying $75 / night? If you're a Gay man, it would be worth the extra cash to be in the exclusive company of other Gay men who are similarly looking for somethin'somethin'. It's isolated, dreary and there's nothing else to do there. Keeping that in mind, they would have no issues at all with selling a room to a Heterosexual man or woman. They would probably even give them a full refund when it became obvious that the Blue Moon wasn't meant for them.

Max Bialystock: Let's face it, Roger, that dress is you!

Marketing to Gay people! For a casino, this seems to me to be a no-brainer. Letting Gay people know that they are welcome in your business establishment means that Gay people aren't going to have to look it up for themselves on the Internets. If the ads are targeted to the GLBT community then the people who might be put off by such a marketing decision would never find out. Those that do find out are probably forbidden by their Gods to go to casinos in the first place. If you can generate a little more foot traffic by inviting people into your establishment who have lots of disposable income, I'm surprised it hasn't happened sooner.