Canada: Gay market booms

Canadian inbound operator Jonview has established a division for gay and lesbian-oriented customers.

Jonview said the division, called Out by View, was created “in recognition of the growing importance of the gay and lesbian travel market”.

Product includes marriage packages, male and female-only tours, flydrives incorporating specifically gay-friendly properties, city tours with drag queens and cooking courses with a gay chef.

Out by View has also been appointed by the organisers of Montreal’s ‘Outgames’ as the official receptive operator for the new sporting event.

The event grew out of the established Gay Games, which were supposed to have been hosted in Montreal this year, but a disagreement over the size of the event saw the organisers look elsewhere for a host city. The Outgames are a result of Montreal’s pledge to hold a gay sporting event of equal stature.

Out by View is based in Montreal and features a number of products in the city, which is consistently voted one the world’s top gay-friendly destinations.

Tourism Montreal gay and lesbian market manager Yves Pelletier noted the city is often referred to as the Amsterdam of North America.

“It’s a very [accepting] place which is why gay and lesbian travellers feel at home. We were one of the first places about 10 years ago to start actively targeting to the gay market.”

The city is also home to one of the largest gay villages in North America; roughly located in the Latin Quarter between Rue Ontario and Rue Saint Catherine.

“There are a lot of gay-run bed and breakfasts and hotels in the Village, but even outside of there hoteliers won’t blink an eye if a gay couple checks in,” added Pelletier.

n The Outgames takes place in Montreal from July 26 to August 5, and is expected to attract up to 250,000 visitors to the city. Some 16,000 athletes from more than 100 counties will participate in 33 sports. Some of the events will be held in the iconic stadium built for the 1976 Olympics, and the opening event will feature a performance by Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil.

For more information see Outbyview.com and Montreal2006.org.

________________

To comment on this story, click travel.weekly@rbi.co.uk"target="_blank">here