Israel’s (Underground) Pitch to Gay Travelers

Travel Blog  •  Julia Ross  •  08.13.08 | 1:33 PM ET

imageGay tourism to Israel has spiked in recent years, spurred in part by the country’s reputation for open-mindedness: gays can serve openly in the military and even register as married couples. While Israel welcomes expansion of its tourism market, the trend also presents tourism officials with a tricky balancing act.

Direct appeals to gay tourists have drawn disapproval from religious politicians in Israel, according to the Christian Science Monitor, and are seen as a threat to the country’s bread-and-butter tourist draw: evangelical Christians. The conundrum has driven the Israeli tourism marketing strategy underground.

Israeli cities are encouraged to pitch to gay travelers, but they must do so on their own, apart from the national tourism board. In response, unattributed “Visit Israel” videos targeting a gay audience have surfaced on YouTube.

I somehow missed the gay beach in Tel Aviv when I visited Israel in May, but I certainly saw my share of religious pilgrims. In fact, I was roused from sleep in my hotel room one night to hear Christian hymns being sung in the lobby at 1 a.m. Only in the Holy Land.

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Photo by andydr via Flickr (Creative Commons).