Tourism BC is telling businesses they're prohibited from promoting gay tourism in China.

The message is contained in a new brochure called, "How to Market Your Business to China."

Tourism Minister Pat Bell said the content was all negotiated by the governments of China and Canada and the province had no role.

“We're not necessarily endorsing the specifics,” said Bell. “We're just simply communicating to those who may want to market into China what the rules were that were negotiated by our federal government.”

But NDP tourism critic Spencer Chandra Herbert — who is gay — says the brochure should at least carry a disclaimer.

“What signal does that send to gay and lesbian British Columbians,” said Chandra Herbert. “To me it says we're less of a priority and one that can just be glossed over and that's incorrect.”

Herbert said he doubts any other cultural group would be the target of such discrimination.

The prohibition is noted on page 27 of the 55-page brochure.

Casino promotion also prohibited

The brochure also notes there are prohibitions against promoting casinos or gambling.

In explaining the brochure's content, spokeswoman Carolyn Heiman said in an email to CBC News that the ministry's Tourism Division is acting in accordance with regulations in China from the China National Tourism Administration.

"While B.C. welcomes all tourism visitors to the province, the provisions of the [agreement] ... stipulate our ability only to market certain products or to certain audiences in China, and as such we have to respect the expectations under that agreement," Heiman said.

Heiman added, however, that, "B.C. places no restrictions on what products or communities the visitor chooses to visit or experience while in the province."

With fuiles from the CBC's Jeff Davies