Frommer’s Travel Guide calls Island ‘rather repressive to homosexuals’

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Bermuda could be losing out on millions of tourist dollars because the Island is seen as not welcoming to gay people.

But the political parties are not voicing any concerns.

Frommer’s Travel Guide, one of the world’s best selling, specifically warns gay people to reconsider any plans they have about coming to the Island because it is “rather repressive to homosexuals”. And a Wikipedia entry on LGBT issues in Bermuda says the country has a “long held reputation for being anti-gay”.

Business Development and Tourism Minister Wayne Furbert, who sparked furious debate when he alleged that the tone and tenor of online criticism was driving away visitors, had nothing to say when confronted with the entries yesterday.

The two opposition parties also remained silent. And no response had been received by the Progressive Labour Party by press time either.

The parties were also presented with a copy of an e-mail sent to Bermuda Accommodations, Inc president Fiona Campbell by a gay person who announced her decision not to come to Bermuda because of concern that the Island is not gay friendly.

“I know that you are away at the moment. We have been doing a little more research and have spoken to several people who have warned us that Bermuda is not gay friendly.

“We are concerned about that. Due to that concern, we will be looking elsewhere. I do thank you for your assistance,” reads the email.

Mr Furbert did, eventually, have something to say — he does not understand what is meant by “gay friendly”.

The Royal Gazette suggested that the couple were coming to the Island and decided not to after doing their research, having concluded that the Island is not welcoming to gay people.

“I would say Bermuda is welcoming to everyone, but until I am clear what they mean, I can not answer,” said Mr Furbert in an e-mail.

That was somewhat better than the response from the United Bermuda Party and the One Bermuda Alliance, both of which declined to comment.

This newspaper did manage to find one PLP insider who said, on condition of anonymity, that marketing Bermuda to the gay community is a no-brainer.

“There are opportunities to generate revenue all over the place and gay marriage would be one of them,” the insider said.

“This is out of the box thinking. There’s a market sitting out there in the Tri State area and gay marriage is legal in all of the Tri State area. Why would we not go after that business?”

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