Thunder Bay merchants now have access to a booklet detailing the steps they need to follow to be more inclusive and welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community, said Dan Bevilacqua, general manager of the Superior Country tourism organization.
Originally we wanted to make a route map, but there was so much information that it became a booklet
he explains.
So far (the booklet) has been well received; we are told it is a very good tool!
The result of a collaboration between two tourist organizations, Superior country And Visit Thunder BayThis booklet is presented as a user’s guide to encourage business owners to implement strategies designed to:
- encourage respectful interactions with community members;
- designating businesses as welcoming to LGBTQ+ customers;
- Provide places where community members feel safe.
Jason Veltripresident of Rainbow Collectivean organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights says its organization was consulted throughout the creative process and is pleased with the outcome.
We are not only happy with this initiative thunder bay but also throughout Northwestern Ontario.
Many people struggle to master using gender-neutral pronouns or creating spaces that are welcoming to all genders
explains Mr Veltri.
Jason Veltri is co-founder and president of Rainbow Collective in Thunder Bay.
Photo: Jason Veltri
That’s why it says in the book concrete, actionable tips that traders can follow
, he said. He describes the guide as a kind of intensive course
a toolbox
rich in information available to traders.
He also invites them to obtain it and to delve into it
to educate themselves while recognizing their right to make mistakes.
It’s okay to make mistakes! We must learn lessons from this!
He ensures that companies can always count on the support of LGBTQ+ organizations in the region Superior country And Visit Thunder Bay.
LGBTQ+ tourists: a target group
Titled Tips for successfully welcoming 2SLGBTQIA+ customers to your business or community (free translation), this explanatory guide is the result of a strategic plan developed in March 2023 to attract LGBTQ+ tourists.
The ten-page booklet, written for merchants in the city of Thunder Bay and the Northwest region, contains many concrete tips to make welcoming LGBTQ+ customers easier.
Photo: Screenshot / Page 3 of the information booklet
The goal of this strategy: attract thunder bay and in the northwest region, LGBTQ+ tourists from southern Ontario, Winnipeg, Manitoba and Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota, explains Dan Bevilacqua.
However, before we launch tourism campaigns to attract this clientele, we want to ensure that our businesses and our communities are ready to welcome them.
he adds.
This booklet is very important because it only takes one bad experience to set us back several years.
He adds that other training programs, including in the form of videos, will soon be launched to train employees of tourism organizations in the region.
Once this phase is complete, it will be a matter of designing tourism products and experiences to offer and sell to this clientele, he concludes.
At the time of publication of these rules, the Chamber of Commerce of thunder bay still had not been able to respond to our interview request.