Provincetown Business Guild

The Provincetown Business Guild, founded in 1978, is the oldest LGBTQ+ tourism and business organisation in the United States. Its founding predates the mainstream visibility of gay travel, the establishment of most national LGBTQ+ advocacy organisations, and the transformation of Provincetown from a local secret into an internationally known gay destination. The Guild's work over nearly five decades has been foundational to Provincetown's identity as the pre-eminent gay resort town in America: it produces the official visitor guide, operates the visitor information centre, coordinates the major community events, and serves as the institutional voice of Provincetown's LGBTQ+ business community. The Guild's member businesses constitute the core of Commercial Street's gay economy — the guesthouses, bars, restaurants, galleries, and shops that collectively create the Provincetown experience. For visitors planning a trip, the Guild's website and visitor guide are the most comprehensive planning resources available. The organisation also plays an advocacy role, working with the town government and Cape Cod National Seashore administration on issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. In a town where the gay community and the business community are essentially identical, the Provincetown Business Guild is the closest thing to a chamber of commerce and a community organisation simultaneously.