By Jeremy Bryant
Taking effect today, airlines and online sellers of travel have new rules to abide by. With these new rules going into effect this week, we’ve compiled a list of what’s changed.
What to expect from the new rules for airlines.
• Airlines & online sellers of travel must include all mandatory taxes and fees in published airfares.
• Baggage fees must be disclosed to consumers buying tickets.
• Information on baggage fees is required on all e-ticket confirmations.
• Passengers now will be able to hold a reservation without payment for 24 hours or cancel a reservation during that period without penalty. (Not applicable with 1 week from departure.)
• Airlines also will be required to notify passengers of delays of more than 30 minutes, as well as flight cancellations and diversions.
Our site is in compliance with the DOT’s news rules and supports the new rules for consumer disclosure.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at support@queertrip.com.
Queertrip Team!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
New York City's First Gay Hotel Is About To Open Its Doors
By Julie Zeveloff via: businessinsider.com
In March, The Out NYC, which bills itself as New York City's first gay hotel, is set to open its doors to guests.
The boutique hotel, which bills itself as an "urban gay resort," is located in Hell's Kitchen (where else?). It will include 105 rooms and XL Nightclub, which the creators say is the first nightly gay dance club to open in the city in the last 15 years. XL is slated to open this month.
Plans for the hotel also include a three courtyards and a massive gym.
Rooms will start at around $250 a night, with sleep shares starting at $99 a night.
With gay marriage now legal in New York, you can be sure The Out will become a go-to wedding destination.
In March, The Out NYC, which bills itself as New York City's first gay hotel, is set to open its doors to guests.The boutique hotel, which bills itself as an "urban gay resort," is located in Hell's Kitchen (where else?). It will include 105 rooms and XL Nightclub, which the creators say is the first nightly gay dance club to open in the city in the last 15 years. XL is slated to open this month.
Plans for the hotel also include a three courtyards and a massive gym.
Rooms will start at around $250 a night, with sleep shares starting at $99 a night.
With gay marriage now legal in New York, you can be sure The Out will become a go-to wedding destination.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Car Rental Agency Sued for Offering Gay and Lesbian Discounts
By Dave Rice via: Sandiegoreader.com
An Arizona woman has initiated a class-action suit alleging discrimination based on her sexual orientation by Avis Rent A Car.
Lynn Evenchik claims that Avis’ practice of offering discounts to members of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association and National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce constitutes a violation of California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits businesses from offering discounts to customers based on sexual orientation.
Evenchik paid $311.36 to rent a car from Avis at San Diego International Airport for a period of one week in July of 2011. She later learned that members of the aforementioned groups received discount codes entitling them to 20 to 25 percent off standard rental rates due to marketing agreements Avis had entered into with the organizations.
“These unfair and unlawful business practices result in many consumers who are not affiliated with those organizations paying substantially higher rental rates than those made available to gay and lesbian renters,” the complaint states.
Evenchik is seeking damages and restitution on behalf of anyone who rented a car from Avis since the company began offering the discounts, which is believed to have begun around September 2010.
She also seeks an injunction to stop Avis from continuing to offer reduced rates to members of the gay and lesbian organizations.
An Arizona woman has initiated a class-action suit alleging discrimination based on her sexual orientation by Avis Rent A Car.
Lynn Evenchik claims that Avis’ practice of offering discounts to members of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association and National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce constitutes a violation of California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits businesses from offering discounts to customers based on sexual orientation.Evenchik paid $311.36 to rent a car from Avis at San Diego International Airport for a period of one week in July of 2011. She later learned that members of the aforementioned groups received discount codes entitling them to 20 to 25 percent off standard rental rates due to marketing agreements Avis had entered into with the organizations.
“These unfair and unlawful business practices result in many consumers who are not affiliated with those organizations paying substantially higher rental rates than those made available to gay and lesbian renters,” the complaint states.
Evenchik is seeking damages and restitution on behalf of anyone who rented a car from Avis since the company began offering the discounts, which is believed to have begun around September 2010.
She also seeks an injunction to stop Avis from continuing to offer reduced rates to members of the gay and lesbian organizations.
Gay Marriage In Cancun, Mexico Suspended
Via ontopmag.com
The upcoming weddings of six gay and lesbian couples near the tourist destination city of Cancun, Mexico have been suspended, La Reforma reported.
The weddings were expected to take place later this month after two gay couples said their lawyers successfully argued in front of judges that the Civil Code ohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giff the Mexican state of Quintana Roo does not specifically bar such marriages from taking place because the state's marriage application is gender neutral.
Quintana Roo Secretary of State Lois Gonzalez Flores has ordered a review of the legality of such marriages.
Patricia Novelo, the spokeswoman for the gay rights group Diversity Collective, announced that she married her partner in the state in November by exploiting the loophole and that a second gay couple had as well.
Novelo and gay travel groups said they were preparing to market the state as a destination for gay couples to marry. Spanish news agency EFE had earlier reported that travel agencies on average receive about 200 requests per month from gay tourists wishing to marry in the Mexican Caribbean.
The city-state of Mexico City legalized gay marriage in 2010 and remains the only municipality in Mexico where such marriages are officially allowed.
The upcoming weddings of six gay and lesbian couples near the tourist destination city of Cancun, Mexico have been suspended, La Reforma reported.
The weddings were expected to take place later this month after two gay couples said their lawyers successfully argued in front of judges that the Civil Code ohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giff the Mexican state of Quintana Roo does not specifically bar such marriages from taking place because the state's marriage application is gender neutral.
Quintana Roo Secretary of State Lois Gonzalez Flores has ordered a review of the legality of such marriages.
Patricia Novelo, the spokeswoman for the gay rights group Diversity Collective, announced that she married her partner in the state in November by exploiting the loophole and that a second gay couple had as well.
Novelo and gay travel groups said they were preparing to market the state as a destination for gay couples to marry. Spanish news agency EFE had earlier reported that travel agencies on average receive about 200 requests per month from gay tourists wishing to marry in the Mexican Caribbean.
The city-state of Mexico City legalized gay marriage in 2010 and remains the only municipality in Mexico where such marriages are officially allowed.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
New rules for airline fees are a partial victory for travelers
By Jeremy Bryant
Starting Jan. 26, a new U.S. Transportation Department rule will require airlines to include all taxes and fees in their advertised fares. Other provisions of the rule -- banning post-purchase price increases and allowing passengers to hold certain reservations without payment or to cancel them without penalty for 24 hours after booking -- will take effect Jan. 24.
The DOT is also requiring airlines to disclose baggage fees when passengers buy a ticket, mandating that the same baggage allowances and fees apply throughout a journey, and stipulating that those fees be shown on electronic ticket confirmations.
As you can guess, the airlines aren't thrilled about these new rules. The industry's stated reasons for these objections are not political but technical. It says that the systems aren't yet in place to offer such disclosure. "Critical sources of information needed to comply with these rules do not yet exist," says Steve Lott, a spokesman for Airlines for America. "This extension would give carriers essential time to overcome fundamental changes in baggage rules that require substantial investment and re-engineering of carrier reservations, check-in and baggage information systems, in addition to retraining of airline employees."
An extension might also allow airlines to continue earning more money from baggage fees until 2013. Even a small rule change could interfere with a revenue stream (in the billions) that has by most accounts allowed the industry to remain profitable in recent years.
The DOT hasn't made a decision on the extension yet. But some believe that regardless of how it rules, the government needs to do more.
The problem is that airlines continue to remove fees from their fares -- a process called unbundling. For example, the first checked bag, a confirmed seat reservation, even the ability to carry a bag onto the plane all used to be included in a base fare but now might not be. Breaking them out leads to confusion and ultimately to customers paying more than they thought they would.
Until now, airlines have claimed that their baggage fees are simple and that normal travelers can easily figure them out. But it turns out that the system isn't that straightforward, even for the airlines that run it. All the exceptions and reservation rules make it kind of complex, actually.
As the battle continues in the courts, who will win? My hope is for the consumers.
Starting Jan. 26, a new U.S. Transportation Department rule will require airlines to include all taxes and fees in their advertised fares. Other provisions of the rule -- banning post-purchase price increases and allowing passengers to hold certain reservations without payment or to cancel them without penalty for 24 hours after booking -- will take effect Jan. 24.The DOT is also requiring airlines to disclose baggage fees when passengers buy a ticket, mandating that the same baggage allowances and fees apply throughout a journey, and stipulating that those fees be shown on electronic ticket confirmations.
As you can guess, the airlines aren't thrilled about these new rules. The industry's stated reasons for these objections are not political but technical. It says that the systems aren't yet in place to offer such disclosure. "Critical sources of information needed to comply with these rules do not yet exist," says Steve Lott, a spokesman for Airlines for America. "This extension would give carriers essential time to overcome fundamental changes in baggage rules that require substantial investment and re-engineering of carrier reservations, check-in and baggage information systems, in addition to retraining of airline employees."
An extension might also allow airlines to continue earning more money from baggage fees until 2013. Even a small rule change could interfere with a revenue stream (in the billions) that has by most accounts allowed the industry to remain profitable in recent years.
The DOT hasn't made a decision on the extension yet. But some believe that regardless of how it rules, the government needs to do more.
The problem is that airlines continue to remove fees from their fares -- a process called unbundling. For example, the first checked bag, a confirmed seat reservation, even the ability to carry a bag onto the plane all used to be included in a base fare but now might not be. Breaking them out leads to confusion and ultimately to customers paying more than they thought they would.
Until now, airlines have claimed that their baggage fees are simple and that normal travelers can easily figure them out. But it turns out that the system isn't that straightforward, even for the airlines that run it. All the exceptions and reservation rules make it kind of complex, actually.
As the battle continues in the courts, who will win? My hope is for the consumers.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Civil union law set to boost LGBT travel to Hawaii
Via: Etravelblackboard.us A new law legalizing civil unions in Hawaii is expected to lead to an upsurge in gay and lesbian travel to the state, meaning a windfall for the islands’ hotels, resorts and event planners.f
News of the legislation, which came into effect on January 1, has seen a spike in the number of hotels actively reaching out to the gay and lesbian community, as same-sex couples look to the state to formalize their relationships, according to The Maui News.
Chuck Spence, owner of the Maui Sunseeker LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Resort in Kihei told the newspaper forward bookings at his property had risen by 50 per cent over the year before.
"We've had 10 ceremonies booked so far," he said.
"Already we've also seen an immediate boost in bookings, and not just because of civil unions, but because the law also opens up the perception by the gay and lesbian community that Hawaii is truly a welcoming state.”
Among the resorts looking to lure same-sex couples their way is the Grand Wailea, whose managing director Matt Bailey said that reaching out to gay and lesbian travelers not only made good business sense, but was also “the right thing to do”.
“Maui has a nurturing and welcoming environment, with a small-town feel and open-mindedness to it,” he remarked.
“I wish I could say it was all altruistic, but we're not trying to make a political statement.”
State Senator Roz Baker, who represents West and South Maui said she hoped the law would add to the appeal of Hawaii as a destination for couples.
"The wedding business has always been good to Maui,” she commented.
"Let's face it, too, nowhere is the weather nicer in January, or are there as many beautiful places to visit year round, than in Hawaii.”
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Not so Hungry... New Hungarian constitution comes into effect with same-sex marriage ban
By: Stephen Gray via: PinkNews.co.uk
Hungary’s new constitution, which bans gay marriage and does not explicitly protect gay people from discrimination, has come into force amid public unrest.
The constitution was enacted 262-44 in April of last year, with 80 members of parliament boycotting the drafting and voting process, and took effect on 1 January 2012.
The document specifically restricts marriage to straight couples and appears to ban abortion by saying that fetuses will be protected from conception onwards.
It does not protect citizens from discrimination on the grounds of age or sexual orientation, and Amnesty International said last year it would not satisfy international human rights laws.
Viktor Orban, leader of the ruling Fidesz party, which came to power with two-thirds majority in the parliament last year, has been dubbed “Viktator” for his leadership style by the crowds who are now protesting the constitution in Budapest.
Tens of thousands have taken to the streets of the capital to voice their opposition to the new state framework.
The former constitution dated back to 1949, with major amendments following the fall of Communism in 1989, and Fidesz argued a new set of rules was vital to deliver the economic growth it had promised Hungary.
But the new text has reportedly removed the safeguards the 1989 amendments put in place, causing wider civil unrest.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had last year urged Orban to enshrine “the independence of the judiciary, a free press, and governmental transparency” in the text.
In a Leader editorial entitled ‘Back to Autocracy?’, The Times highlighted the discrimination against gay couples and said the constitution “is an extraordinary affront to basic liberties.”
But Gergely Gulyas, a Fidesz MP, told Reuters when the constitution came into force: “Despite political debates we think it is an important value that for the first time, a freely elected parliament created the Basic Law.”
Lawmakers said the constitution was based on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, but gay rights activists have questioned why it does not mention discrimination protections for LGBT people, when gender and race are protected.
The Hungarian organization of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights said last year the constitution “expresses a preference for an explicitly defined family model, a certain way of life and conveys the message that it does not wish to become the constitution of those who wish to pursue a different way of life”.
Hungary decriminalized gay sexual acts in 1961 and allows gay couples to register their partnerships but does not allow them to adopt. Since 2002 it has had an equal age of consent and gay people may serve in the military.
Hungary’s new constitution, which bans gay marriage and does not explicitly protect gay people from discrimination, has come into force amid public unrest.
The constitution was enacted 262-44 in April of last year, with 80 members of parliament boycotting the drafting and voting process, and took effect on 1 January 2012.
The document specifically restricts marriage to straight couples and appears to ban abortion by saying that fetuses will be protected from conception onwards.
It does not protect citizens from discrimination on the grounds of age or sexual orientation, and Amnesty International said last year it would not satisfy international human rights laws.
Viktor Orban, leader of the ruling Fidesz party, which came to power with two-thirds majority in the parliament last year, has been dubbed “Viktator” for his leadership style by the crowds who are now protesting the constitution in Budapest.
Tens of thousands have taken to the streets of the capital to voice their opposition to the new state framework.
The former constitution dated back to 1949, with major amendments following the fall of Communism in 1989, and Fidesz argued a new set of rules was vital to deliver the economic growth it had promised Hungary.
But the new text has reportedly removed the safeguards the 1989 amendments put in place, causing wider civil unrest.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had last year urged Orban to enshrine “the independence of the judiciary, a free press, and governmental transparency” in the text.
In a Leader editorial entitled ‘Back to Autocracy?’, The Times highlighted the discrimination against gay couples and said the constitution “is an extraordinary affront to basic liberties.”
But Gergely Gulyas, a Fidesz MP, told Reuters when the constitution came into force: “Despite political debates we think it is an important value that for the first time, a freely elected parliament created the Basic Law.”
Lawmakers said the constitution was based on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, but gay rights activists have questioned why it does not mention discrimination protections for LGBT people, when gender and race are protected.
The Hungarian organization of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights said last year the constitution “expresses a preference for an explicitly defined family model, a certain way of life and conveys the message that it does not wish to become the constitution of those who wish to pursue a different way of life”.
Hungary decriminalized gay sexual acts in 1961 and allows gay couples to register their partnerships but does not allow them to adopt. Since 2002 it has had an equal age of consent and gay people may serve in the military.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Cancun Plans to Pass Gay Marriage Bill to Attract Tourists
Via: Fox News Latino
Cancun and other resort areas on the Mexican Caribbean will have a new attraction for gay and lesbian couples from the United States, Canada and Europe, allowing them to legalize their unions thanks to a quirk in the local civil code, activist Patricia Novelo told Efe. "This market niche ... is very attractive for European, Canadian and American (homosexual) couples," said the spokesperson for Colectivo Diversidad.
Novelo said that in January the first same-sex group wedding will be held in the resort area as part of local support for the human rights of the gay community.
She said that already several couples have expressed their wish to formalize their unions at the ceremony.
Eight couples have been confirmed to marry in January, most of them Mexican, but she said that more are expected and preparations are being handled by the groups Colectivo Diversidad, Fusion G, Gaytoursmexico and the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association.
The activist said that before the unions of same-sex couples in Quintana Roo state were legally recognized, a great demand from travel agencies for such marriages in Cancun and other resorts already existed from abroad.
Therefore, she said, agreements have begun to be struck with different airlines and hotel chains to hold these marriages all along Mexico's Caribbean coast.
Novelo said that this "is something very positive. Besides the social part there are many economic benefits because the gay community generates between 45 and 60 percent more income on top of conventional tourism."
She said gay and lesbian marriages are possible in Quintana Roo, "thanks to a legal gap in the Civil Code," which only makes mention of "people interested in getting married," without specifying their gender.
Mexico City passed a same sex marriage bill in 209. Through Dec. 15 of this year, 1,246 gay couples have been married in the city, many involving citizens of other countries.
Cancun and other resort areas on the Mexican Caribbean will have a new attraction for gay and lesbian couples from the United States, Canada and Europe, allowing them to legalize their unions thanks to a quirk in the local civil code, activist Patricia Novelo told Efe. "This market niche ... is very attractive for European, Canadian and American (homosexual) couples," said the spokesperson for Colectivo Diversidad.
Novelo said that in January the first same-sex group wedding will be held in the resort area as part of local support for the human rights of the gay community.She said that already several couples have expressed their wish to formalize their unions at the ceremony.
Eight couples have been confirmed to marry in January, most of them Mexican, but she said that more are expected and preparations are being handled by the groups Colectivo Diversidad, Fusion G, Gaytoursmexico and the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association.
The activist said that before the unions of same-sex couples in Quintana Roo state were legally recognized, a great demand from travel agencies for such marriages in Cancun and other resorts already existed from abroad.
Therefore, she said, agreements have begun to be struck with different airlines and hotel chains to hold these marriages all along Mexico's Caribbean coast.
Novelo said that this "is something very positive. Besides the social part there are many economic benefits because the gay community generates between 45 and 60 percent more income on top of conventional tourism."
She said gay and lesbian marriages are possible in Quintana Roo, "thanks to a legal gap in the Civil Code," which only makes mention of "people interested in getting married," without specifying their gender.
Mexico City passed a same sex marriage bill in 209. Through Dec. 15 of this year, 1,246 gay couples have been married in the city, many involving citizens of other countries.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Gay Couple Sue Hawaii B&B, Claim Discrimination
by The Associated Press via: NPR.com
HONOLULU (AP) — Two Southern California women filed a lawsuit Monday against a Hawaii bed and breakfast, saying the business denied them a room because they are gay.
Aloha Bed & Breakfast discriminated against Diane Cervelli and Taeko Bufford, a couple living in Long Beach, Calif., claims the lawsuit filed on behalf of the women by Lambda Legal in First Circuit Court in Honolulu.
Cervelli, 42, called the business in 2007 to book a room because it's in Hawaii Kai, the same east Honolulu neighborhood where the friend they were visiting lived. When she specified they would need one bed, the owner asked if they are lesbians. Cervelli responded truthfully and the owner said she was uncomfortable having lesbians in her house because of her religious views, the lawsuit said.
Refusing to let the couple book a room was solely based on their sexual orientation because the owner indicated that if they were married, she would not have allowed them to stay there, said their attorney, Peter Renn of Lambda Legal's Los Angeles office. She also would have a problem if they were an unmarried heterosexual couple, he said.
The lawsuit claims the business violated Hawaii's public accommodation law prohibiting any inn or other establishment that provides lodging from discriminating based on sexual orientation, race, sex, gender identity or expression, religion, ancestry or disability. Lambda Legal said there are 21 states that have public accommodation laws that protect against sexual orientation discrimination.
The couple ended up booking a room in Waikiki and the experience with the bed and breakfast "soured" their trip, Cervelli said Monday while in Honolulu with Bufford, 28. "In my past experiences in Hawaii, people have been so friendly," she said. "It was just hurtful. It made me feel we weren't good enough."
Reached by phone, owner Phyllis Young declined to comment and referred questions to her attorney. Honolulu attorney Jim Hochberg said he is representing her on behalf of the Alliance Defense Fund, an organization of attorneys representing people whose religious freedom is infringed. He said he hadn't yet seen the complaint.
According to the lawsuit, the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission investigated. During the investigation Young told the commission homosexuality is "detestable" and "defiles our land." The commission issued a notice of "reasonable cause to believe that unlawful discriminatory practices have been committed" and notified the couple of their right to sue.
The lawsuit wants the business to be ordered to comply with the law, for the court to issue a declaration making clear what happened was illegal and for the couple to be awarded unspecified monetary compensation, Renn said: "No amount of money is going to erase the humiliation and pain."
Renn said Lambda Legal is also looking into whether the bed and breakfast is licensed to operate. Aloha Bed & Breakfast is not on a list of properties approved for transient vacation unit or bed and breakfast use that have been issued nonconforming use certificates by Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting.
HONOLULU (AP) — Two Southern California women filed a lawsuit Monday against a Hawaii bed and breakfast, saying the business denied them a room because they are gay.
Aloha Bed & Breakfast discriminated against Diane Cervelli and Taeko Bufford, a couple living in Long Beach, Calif., claims the lawsuit filed on behalf of the women by Lambda Legal in First Circuit Court in Honolulu.Cervelli, 42, called the business in 2007 to book a room because it's in Hawaii Kai, the same east Honolulu neighborhood where the friend they were visiting lived. When she specified they would need one bed, the owner asked if they are lesbians. Cervelli responded truthfully and the owner said she was uncomfortable having lesbians in her house because of her religious views, the lawsuit said.
Refusing to let the couple book a room was solely based on their sexual orientation because the owner indicated that if they were married, she would not have allowed them to stay there, said their attorney, Peter Renn of Lambda Legal's Los Angeles office. She also would have a problem if they were an unmarried heterosexual couple, he said.
The lawsuit claims the business violated Hawaii's public accommodation law prohibiting any inn or other establishment that provides lodging from discriminating based on sexual orientation, race, sex, gender identity or expression, religion, ancestry or disability. Lambda Legal said there are 21 states that have public accommodation laws that protect against sexual orientation discrimination.
The couple ended up booking a room in Waikiki and the experience with the bed and breakfast "soured" their trip, Cervelli said Monday while in Honolulu with Bufford, 28. "In my past experiences in Hawaii, people have been so friendly," she said. "It was just hurtful. It made me feel we weren't good enough."
Reached by phone, owner Phyllis Young declined to comment and referred questions to her attorney. Honolulu attorney Jim Hochberg said he is representing her on behalf of the Alliance Defense Fund, an organization of attorneys representing people whose religious freedom is infringed. He said he hadn't yet seen the complaint.
According to the lawsuit, the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission investigated. During the investigation Young told the commission homosexuality is "detestable" and "defiles our land." The commission issued a notice of "reasonable cause to believe that unlawful discriminatory practices have been committed" and notified the couple of their right to sue.
The lawsuit wants the business to be ordered to comply with the law, for the court to issue a declaration making clear what happened was illegal and for the couple to be awarded unspecified monetary compensation, Renn said: "No amount of money is going to erase the humiliation and pain."
Renn said Lambda Legal is also looking into whether the bed and breakfast is licensed to operate. Aloha Bed & Breakfast is not on a list of properties approved for transient vacation unit or bed and breakfast use that have been issued nonconforming use certificates by Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting.
Latin American Airline Launches Gay Site
Via Press Release:
LAN Airlines is proud to announce the launch of its new LGBT travel website dedicated specifically to gay and lesbian travelers. The airline's new dedicated LGBT site, found at www.LANdiversity.com, showcases the diversity found throughout South America, and is a one-stop-shop resource for LGBT travel to South America.
LAN's new LGBT microsite features a host of information and resources for the prospective traveler to South America. It includes detailed descriptions of key South American destinations with information of interest to gay and lesbian travelers. The site also features recent LGBT-related news pertaining to countries throughout South America, as well as events of interest to gay and lesbian travelers to South America, including trips from leading LGBT tour operators.
"If you're traveling to Buenos Aires, not only can you purchase your ticket from the online booking engine, but you can read current news relating to LGBT topics in that region, view dates for the Buenos Aires International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival or Buenos Aires Pride, and find restaurants and hotels in the city that are popular among gay and lesbian travelers," said Katitiza Mandakovic, Leisure Director, LAN Airlines North America. "Our goal was to make LANdiversity.com a trusted source for news and information on LGBT travel to South America and we are so proud to be able to offer such a unique resource to travelers all over the world."
The new LGBT microsite also features interactive Facebook and Twitter feeds to enable visitors to share their comments and connect with other like-minded travelers. Through the microsite, LAN will also offer periodic deals, specials and sweepstakes for travel to South America on LAN Airlines and its affiliate carriers.
LAN has been a major supporter of the LGBT community for a number of years. In 2009, LAN became the first Latin American airline to develop an advertising campaign specifically targeting the LGBT community. The campaign highlighted the importance of diversity and showcased South America's diversity.
LAN has also been a proud sponsor of organizations such as the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and San Francisco Pride, as well as a Gold-level Global Partner with the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, IGLTA.
LAN was nominated "Best Airline" in LOGO's 2010 TripOut Gay Travel Awards and "Favorite International Airline" in 2011 by Edge Publications, the largest network of local LGBT news portals in the world.
"LAN is proud to be a supporter of the gay and lesbian community and is honored to be recognized as a valued partner," added Mandakovic. "We pride ourselves on being South America's premier airline and the best choice for LGBT travelers to the region. Our new LGBT travel site is a way to create an even better travel experience for gay and lesbian travelers and our hope is that more people will be able to discover the many wonders found only in South America."
For someone who has dreamt about climbing Machu Picchu at sunrise, swimming with the giant turtles of the Galapagos, frolicking on Ipanema Beach in Rio, or experiencing any of the other wonders that can be found Only in South America - today LAN Airlines brings those dreams one step closer for LGBT travelers with the launch of the dedicated, new LGBT travel website.
LAN Airlines is proud to announce the launch of its new LGBT travel website dedicated specifically to gay and lesbian travelers. The airline's new dedicated LGBT site, found at www.LANdiversity.com, showcases the diversity found throughout South America, and is a one-stop-shop resource for LGBT travel to South America.
LAN's new LGBT microsite features a host of information and resources for the prospective traveler to South America. It includes detailed descriptions of key South American destinations with information of interest to gay and lesbian travelers. The site also features recent LGBT-related news pertaining to countries throughout South America, as well as events of interest to gay and lesbian travelers to South America, including trips from leading LGBT tour operators."If you're traveling to Buenos Aires, not only can you purchase your ticket from the online booking engine, but you can read current news relating to LGBT topics in that region, view dates for the Buenos Aires International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival or Buenos Aires Pride, and find restaurants and hotels in the city that are popular among gay and lesbian travelers," said Katitiza Mandakovic, Leisure Director, LAN Airlines North America. "Our goal was to make LANdiversity.com a trusted source for news and information on LGBT travel to South America and we are so proud to be able to offer such a unique resource to travelers all over the world."
The new LGBT microsite also features interactive Facebook and Twitter feeds to enable visitors to share their comments and connect with other like-minded travelers. Through the microsite, LAN will also offer periodic deals, specials and sweepstakes for travel to South America on LAN Airlines and its affiliate carriers.
LAN has been a major supporter of the LGBT community for a number of years. In 2009, LAN became the first Latin American airline to develop an advertising campaign specifically targeting the LGBT community. The campaign highlighted the importance of diversity and showcased South America's diversity.
LAN has also been a proud sponsor of organizations such as the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and San Francisco Pride, as well as a Gold-level Global Partner with the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, IGLTA.
LAN was nominated "Best Airline" in LOGO's 2010 TripOut Gay Travel Awards and "Favorite International Airline" in 2011 by Edge Publications, the largest network of local LGBT news portals in the world.
"LAN is proud to be a supporter of the gay and lesbian community and is honored to be recognized as a valued partner," added Mandakovic. "We pride ourselves on being South America's premier airline and the best choice for LGBT travelers to the region. Our new LGBT travel site is a way to create an even better travel experience for gay and lesbian travelers and our hope is that more people will be able to discover the many wonders found only in South America."
For someone who has dreamt about climbing Machu Picchu at sunrise, swimming with the giant turtles of the Galapagos, frolicking on Ipanema Beach in Rio, or experiencing any of the other wonders that can be found Only in South America - today LAN Airlines brings those dreams one step closer for LGBT travelers with the launch of the dedicated, new LGBT travel website.
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