• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Body
  • Daily Resist
  • POLITICS
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Film
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Men
  • Marriage Equality
  • Space
  • Trans Rights
  • Books
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • TowleREAD

Survey Shows Convention Planners, Tourists Still View Indiana As Unwelcoming for LGBT People

January 24, 2016 by John Wright Leave a Comment

indiana tourism

Fewer than half of convention planners and prospective tourists agree that “Indy Welcomes All” or “Indiana Welcomes All” in the wake of last year’s controversy over the state’s anti-LGBT Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Meanwhile, convention planners ranked Indianapolis second among 40 major convention cities — behind only St. Louis, site of the Ferguson tragedy — for “bad publicity” that may deter them from booking future events in the Hoosier State’s capital.

A survey commissioned by Visit Indy showed that only 45 percent of convention planners and 43 percent of prospective tourists agreed with the slogan, “Indy Welcomes All,” which was coined by the convention and visitors bureau in the wake of the RFRA controversy. Only 28 percent of convention planners and 38 percent of prospective tourists agreed with the statement, “Indiana Welcomes All.”

When asked in October whether Indianapolis had been in the news, 58 percent of convention planners mentioned LGBT rights or the RFRA controversy.

“That stings,” Chris Gahl, Visit Indy’s vice president of marketing, told WIBC radio. “We certainly were bracing for a little bit of a ripple effect, a little aftermath even seven months out, but for more than half of the meeting decision-makers to recall that as what they most associated with Indianapolis, that does sting and it tells us we have a little work cut out for us still.”

This week, Visit Indy plans to release its estimate of the monetary impact from the handful of conventions that have already pulled out of the city.

“We did see fallout from this, certainly from a perception standpoint, but then also from lost business,” Gahl said. “Meeting planners are clearly aware of the negative publicity around Indianapolis. It does deter them from booking in Indianapolis.”

The survey results were released as the Indiana Legislature prepares to take up new proposals aimed at banning anti-LGBT discrimination while also protecting “religious freedom.” However, LGBT groups are opposed to most of the bills put forward thus far, including two that are set for hearings on Wednesday, Jan. 27.

“These bills would hurt LGBT people, not help them. They are non-starters for us,” Lambda Legal’s Camilla Taylor wrote this week. “Hoosiers are expecting an updating of Indiana’s civil rights laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity without hurtful carve-outs, overly broad religious exemptions and elimination of local protections. Gov. Mike Pence and legislative leadership should know better.”

Gahl said Visit Indy officials are “bracing for” the Legislature’s consideration of the bills.

The Indy Star has more on the survey. Listen to Gahl’s full interview with WIBC below.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Discrimination, Gay Rights, Indiana, Indianapolis, Lambda Legal, LGBT Rights, Travel, Travel: Indiana, Visit Indy

Recent Posts

  • Billie Eilish, Diet Coke Button, Fleet Foxes, Jane Krakowski, Faultline Bar, Dave Chappelle, Miley Cyrus: HOT LINKS

    Billie Eilish, Diet Coke Button, Fleet Foxes, Jane Krakowski, Faultline Bar, Dave Chappelle, Miley Cyrus: HOT LINKS

    7 hours ago
  • Visit Key West Like a Queen: Drag Icons Give Their Tourist Tips

    Visit Key West Like a Queen: Drag Icons Give Their Tourist Tips

    8 hours ago
  • Chuck Schumer Grimaces After Saying Donald Trump ‘Incited the Erection’ — WATCH

    Chuck Schumer Grimaces After Saying Donald Trump ‘Incited the Erection’ — WATCH

    9 hours ago
  • GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn Lied About Training for Paralympics

    GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn Lied About Training for Paralympics

    12 hours ago
Previous Post: « Georgia Senator Says Horrendous Anti-Gay Bill Promotes Principle of ‘Live and Let Live’ -VIDEO
Next Post: Weekend News Brief: Iowa Polls, Tim Cook, Creating Change, Caitlyn Jenner, Ken Kratz, Snowmaggedon Sweetness »

Primary Sidebar

  • Billie Eilish, Diet Coke Button, Fleet Foxes, Jane Krakowski, Faultline Bar, Dave Chappelle, Miley Cyrus: HOT LINKS

  • Visit Key West Like a Queen: Drag Icons Give Their Tourist Tips

  • Chuck Schumer Grimaces After Saying Donald Trump ‘Incited the Erection’ — WATCH

Recent Posts

  • Billie Eilish, Diet Coke Button, Fleet Foxes, Jane Krakowski, Faultline Bar, Dave Chappelle, Miley Cyrus: HOT LINKS

    Billie Eilish, Diet Coke Button, Fleet Foxes, Jane Krakowski, Faultline Bar, Dave Chappelle, Miley Cyrus: HOT LINKS

    7 hours ago
  • Visit Key West Like a Queen: Drag Icons Give Their Tourist Tips

    Visit Key West Like a Queen: Drag Icons Give Their Tourist Tips

    8 hours ago
  • Chuck Schumer Grimaces After Saying Donald Trump ‘Incited the Erection’ — WATCH

    Chuck Schumer Grimaces After Saying Donald Trump ‘Incited the Erection’ — WATCH

    9 hours ago
  • GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn Lied About Training for Paralympics

    GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn Lied About Training for Paralympics

    12 hours ago
  • Senate to Get Article of Impeachment from House on Monday

    Senate to Get Article of Impeachment from House on Monday

    13 hours ago
  • Newt Gingrich Tells Sean Hannity That Democrats Want to ‘Exterminate’ Republicans: WATCH

    Newt Gingrich Tells Sean Hannity That Democrats Want to ‘Exterminate’ Republicans: WATCH

    14 hours ago
  • ‘Years & Years’ Covers Pet Shop Boys’ ‘It’s a Sin’ — LISTEN

    ‘Years & Years’ Covers Pet Shop Boys’ ‘It’s a Sin’ — LISTEN

    14 hours ago
  • Schumer Urged to Deny Committee Seats to Hawley, Cruz, and Other Republicans Who ‘Incited Deadly Insurrection’

    Schumer Urged to Deny Committee Seats to Hawley, Cruz, and Other Republicans Who ‘Incited Deadly Insurrection’

    15 hours ago
  • ‘QAnon Shaman’ and Capitol Insurrectionist Jacob Chansley Regrets Being ‘Duped’ by Trump: WATCH

    ‘QAnon Shaman’ and Capitol Insurrectionist Jacob Chansley Regrets Being ‘Duped’ by Trump: WATCH

    15 hours ago
  • Alice Hoagland, Mother of Gay 9/11 Hero Mark Bingham and LGBTQ Ally, Has Died

    Alice Hoagland, Mother of Gay 9/11 Hero Mark Bingham and LGBTQ Ally, Has Died

    16 hours ago

Most Commented

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Footer

Copyright © 2021 · Log in