An LGBT friendly place to travel.
For the lesbian community, planning a vacation involves more than just picking the perfect location. While destination is important, we also look at the people within the area and how receptive they will be towards us while we visit their city for an extended period of time. On September 1st, Richmond, Virginia came out of the closet, as the newest location for gays and lesbians to spend their vacation days.
OutRVA is a campaign launched by the city of Richmond, with the help of students from Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter, to extend their hospitality to the LGBTQ community by releasing their own coming out story. “For many LGBT people, coming out letters are the way they communicate their identity to friends and loved ones. 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,” said Katherine O’Donnell, Vice President of Community Relations for Richmond Region Tourism. “Learning that Richmond is an LGBT-friendly destination might be a surprise. The letters offer a personal and powerful way for the Richmond area to communicate this.”
These coming out letters were sent to neighboring cities and states, as Richmond’s way of expressing their acceptance of the gay and lesbian community, as well as highlight why Richmond is a great place for LGBTQ to visit. “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 letter specifically created for the Washington D.C. area.
The city has gone beyond just releasing their coming out letters. The students from Virginia Commonwealth have also distributed “Out” stickers, to nearby shops and restaurants, as a way for businesses to show their ongoing support for the LGBTQ community, as well as bring awareness to tourists and residents that Richmond values equality. Throughout the city’s website www.visitrichmondva.com there are lists of these LGBTQ friendly places, such as Babes of Carytown, which promises patio drinks, volleyball games and dancing your Saturday night away. There is also a page for TAG approved hotels, LGBTQ friendly shops and even local museums.
The OutRVA campaign also includes a website www.richmondisout.com, another resource for LGBTQ tourists to seek recommendations from residents of Richmond for local attractions, places to eat, accommodations, etc. This is a great tool for the LGBTQ community, to be able to connect with the residents of Richmond as an extended welcome to the city. “The Richmond Region has so much to offer – arts and culture, history, our nationally acclaimed food and craft beer, outdoor recreation and the James River,” said Kevin Clay, Richmond Region LGBT Advisory Committee member and principal at Big Spoon Agency. “We want travelers to know that Richmond is LGBT-friendly.”
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