Richmond takes a walk on the gay side
The city that once served as the the Capital of the Confederacy and is now the state capital of Virginia has flirted with “the gay thing” in the past but last month, Richmond officially announced that it is gay. At least in regards to attracting more LGBT visitors.
Commonly referred to by locals as RVA, Richmond earlier this month launched OutRVA, a marketing campaign designed to “show people Richmond’s strong LGBT community and highlight the area as a travel destination for LGBT travelers.” One of the most visible aspects of the campaign are advertisements in LGBT publications in the form of coming out letters from Richmond, including Metro Weekly.
“We’ve always been close. Like ‘109 miles on I-95’ close. There’s something I need to tell you, though. Something that I’ve known for a while that you might not have picked up on. I know you’ve been busy running the country and everything. So here it is. I’m gay. Love, Richmond” reads one of the ads specifically designed for the Washington, D.C. market.
“For many LGBT people, coming out letters are the way they communicate their identity to friends and loved ones,” says Katherine O’Donnell, Vice President of Community Relations for Richmond Region Tourism. “We thought coming out letters would be a great way for us, as a destination, to share that Richmond is a welcoming place for LGBT travelers. Learning that Richmond is a LGBT-friendly destination might be a surprise. The letters offer a personal and powerful way for the Richmond area to communicate this.”
The concept for OutRVA was developed by Richmond tourism officials in partnership with students at the Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter, a top-rated graduate program for advertising. To gather community support and boost awareness, the students distributed “Out” stickers to local restaurants and businesses. The stickers can be seen on storefronts, cars, food trucks and other locations throughout Richmond.
In addition to the paid advertising, the campaign includes RichmondisOut.com, a new website were LGBT travelers can learn more about the area from “Richmond Insiders,” local LGBT community members who share what they love about the area. Visitors can also contact the Richmond Insiders through the website to ask for recommendations when planning a trip.
Richmond tourism officials have been marketing to the LGBT community since 2010; however, this is the city’s first advertising effort designed to more broadly reach the lucrative LGBT travel market. According to research by San Francisco-based Community Marketing, Inc., the annual economic impact of LGBT travelers is over US $100 billion per year in the U.S. alone.
James Millner, a recent Richmond transplant who has lived most of his life in D.C. and New York City, likes the idea of attracting more LGBT travelers to his new adopted city.
“Richmond is a very gay-friendly city where LGBT people can feel comfortable in any restaurant or shop. We have fabulous museums and theatre groups and an evolving nightlife that offers something for everyone,” said Millner.
While there is no question that Richmond does have much to offer LGBT travelers, there remains the question of whether or not potential visitors will look past Virginia entrenched anti-gay laws, as well as Richmond’s own shortcomings in regards to LGBT equality.
Although Virginia has become a more moderate “purple” state, many anti-LGBT laws remain on its books including a ban on same-sex marriage and limits on same-sex adoption. In addition, it fails to address discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation in private sector employment or in its hate-crime law.
Despite wanting LGBT travelers, Richmond’s official policies fall behind other cities in the state. According to HRC’s 2013 Municipal Equality Index, Richmond received a score of only 36 out of a possible 100, while the Northern Virginia cities of Alexandria and Arlington received scores of 70 and above. However, the OutRVA campaign may be exactly what Richmond needs.
Organizations such as the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association believe tourism is one of the best ways to help support LGBT equality. “We are always happy to see destinations like Richmond moving forward with LGBT travel marketing,” said John Tanzella, President/CEO of the IGLTA. “I think it helps push the envelope and open dialogue and debate.”
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