Hong Kong has been urged to tap into the 'pink dollar' and promote itself as Asia's gay tourist destination.
As part of the proposal, legislators are being asked to consider the economic benefits of hosting a street carnival for the world's gay and lesbian community, similar to Sydney's world-famous Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Gay lobbyist Reggie Ho, who put forward the plan to the Home Affairs Bureau, said more needed to be done to exploit the potential of the 'pink dollar'.
Senior government officials, human rights campaigners and gay lobbyists are due to meet to discuss the proposal as part of a Home Affairs Bureau committee meeting tomorrow.
'Hong Kong is cosmopolitan and vibrant and would be the perfect venue for a gay parade,' Mr Ho, of gay lobby group Horizons, said yesterday.
'Most lesbians and gays do not raise children and so they are more willing to use some of their disposable income on luxuries and travel.
'If a gay parade was to be held in Hong Kong it would certainly attract many high-spending lesbian and gay tourists.'
Referred to as the 'pink dollar', the money spent by gay tourists attending Sydney's annual Mardi Gras is estimated to inject more than A$66 million (HK$300 million) into that city's economy each year, he said.