The Price of Gay Travel

The LGBT or Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transsexual gendered community spends a heap of money on gay travel. Fortunately for many third world countries, tourism is a booming industry. Many major firms have aligned themselves with gay oriented tourism teams, so as to urge their little bit of what's known as the 'pink dollar' in this business.

Gay folks come in all shapes and forms and monetary circumstances. Many of them are professionals living in small towns or cities that have not yet evolved to the point of acceptance of same sex relationships or marriages. Many gay couples are still hiding their lifestyles from the prying eyes of others. A gay vacation, however, provides them the opportunity to be open and honest regarding their love and their life.

Some cities are more progressive than others. Many have what are called 'gay-borhoods', neighborhoods with housing and services specifically geared to the gay community. Gay travel options often aim to take individuals from their own less progressive towns and cities to areas like this. Areas like this are referred to as gay friendly or gay specific, and tourist agencies attempt to mimic this special catering.

Several cities encourage the Gay travel and tourist industry. Cities like Sydney, Australia host gala celebrations like the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. This huge bash is understood internationally as the New Mardi Gras. To support attendance by gay folks, airlines sponsor the event and offer gay-friendly transportation from round the world.

Canada, among other progressive countries, happily welcome a gay travel industry and cater to the gay tourist community with a film pageant and other highly celebrated events. And high profile activities, the gay tourist likes to enjoy common urban tours like museums, shopping, and dining, along with outside activities like rock climbing. So long as what is provided is safe and relaxing, a gay tour can be a very stress relieving vacation for the professional gay couple.

Gay travel is considered a distinct segment market of the tourist industry. Ten p.c of tourists are professed gays, either lesbian or homosexual. Add to that the many that are discretely hiding their lifestyles and it's easy to see why corporations are realizing the price of offering gay specific travel plans. The term for money spent by gay professionals is that the 'pink dollar' or 'pink pound'. Companies used to handling 'normal' or straight heterosexual patrons are learning more and more to provide tourism to the gay population.

Within the years of World War II, it was illegal to be a homosexual within the United States. So, individuals often referred to themselves as 'friends of Dorothy'. Though the theories behind this saying are uncertain as to whether or not it's Dorothy Parker or Dorothy within the Wizard of Oz, this term stuck. Within the eighties, gay teams who needed to advertise their conferences on cruise ships would raise staff to broadcast a 'meeting of the friends of Dorothy'. That was how the word got out for gay folks to meet and rejoice while touring the world.

As the planet learns to just accept gay and transgendered transsexual people, the opportunities these people have multiply. Opportunities to live normally and contribute equally to society are growing. Gay travel is one of the luxuries the gay community can currently indulge in without worrying regarding violence, aggression or prejudice. It may be a tiny step but given the money rewards so many tourist agencies are reaping, it guarantees to only be the first of many.