Greek bias against gays affects tourism

Debt-ravaged Greece’s biggest industry is missing income from a group of visitors that spends more than $140 billion a year.

Gay and lesbian tourists, who for decades flocked to the islands of Mykonos and Lesbos, have removed Greece from their list of top destinations because of discrimination, according to surveys by Amsterdam-based OutNow Consulting. The government says it intends to boost tourism and will Change the law so Greece follows France and the U.K. in recognizing same-sex partnerships.

“Rights do not cost much in terms of finances, but they do a lot to promote the countries that adopt them,” said Martin Christensen, co-chairman of ILGA-Europe, a Brussels-based rights group. “If Greece opens marriage to same-sex couples, the international media will for once give the country good press that would boost morale and can increase revenue.”

Tourism accounts for one in five jobs and about 16 percent of the Greek economy, which the European Commission forecasts will shrink 3.8 percent this year after a 4.4 percent contraction in 2010. Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said on Aug. 3 that spending by vacationers will be a main driver of Greece’s return to prosperity.

Source: BusinessWeek.com