Halifax Marketing Itself as Gay Destination

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When most people think of gay travel, the mind probably wanders to such hotspots as Fire Island, South Beach, West Hollywood or San Francisco. Provincetown or possibly Ogunquit, Maine.

Novia Scotia is way to the north of that. One of Canada's Maritime Provinces, it is perhaps its most isoalted, the farthest out into the Atlantic Ocean. The capital, Halifax, is a pleasant city of fisherman and provincial administrators.

But then came Rosie O'Donnell. Her gay-family cruise stopped in the city back in 2005, and she spoke glowingly of Canada, where gay couples are allowed to marry. She said that another similar cruise would make a port-of-call in Halifax this summer.

Taking advantage of the brief flurry of attention, the city has decided to position itself as a gay destination. To that end, the followed city's tourism board, Destination Halifax, as it gave a small group of gay journalists a tour. Destination Halifax has a gay portal on its website. And the province's top tourism official has made announcements that he is welcoming gay tourists--and their gay dollars.