July 16, 2004 -- As the world's first company created for gay travel celebrates its 32nd birthday this year, the city of Philadelphia became the first destination in the world to produce a gay-themed TV commercial designed specifically to attract gay and lesbian vacationers. This is nothing but good news, as tourism officals and travel providers try to tap into the $54 billion gay travel market.
"You Just Can't Do It In a Day" is the theme for Philadelphia's campaign, and it's part of an overall $1.7 million advertising program by the City of Brotherly Love to reach out to families, multicultural and gay travelers. This is in addition to the annual "sleepover" deals Philadelphia has been trumpeting for the past three years. The sleepover deals are two-night hotel packages that include your room, free parking (a big deal in any urban setting) and cheap rates starting from $169 per room. You check in on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, and get two Phlash Trolley passes and a special gift. Go to www.gophila.com for more details. For specifics on gay travel, see www.gophila.com/gay.
Hanns Ebensten, now a Key West resident, single-handedly created gay travel back in 1972 when he organized the first trips exclusively for gay men. Since its founding, his eponymously named company has prospered and is now directed by Philip Sheldon, a former international manager for IBM with an astounding amount of overseas experience, especially in China and Japan. Their trips take gay men (and sometimes, lesbian and straight friends) all over the world, mostly to experiences not easy to duplicate. In 2004, they still have room on their China & Yangtze Gorges program (September 6-20), an Italian tour (October 26 to November 3) and a trip to Oaxaca for the Day of the Dead (October 29-November 6). The Italy trip is for gay men only, but the other two are for gay men, lesbians and friends. The costs range from $2,695 for Mexico and $3,395 for Italy to $3,985 for China (all land-only), but if you register for one of the above three 2004 trips and mention Frommer's 04, they'll give you a $200 discount.
Hanns is famous for his trips that emphasize unusual perks, such as the Greece experience, which takes clients into the sacred and male-only precincts of that historic monastic community of Mount Athos. Tours for 2005 start in February and end in October, with nine choices ranging from Southeast Asia, China and India through Turkey, Greece and the Alps, ending geographically with Grand Canyon rafting, an Amazon Cruise and historic Machu Picchu. Contact them at www.hetravel.com; by phone 866/294-8174 or 305/294-8174; or via e-mail at hetravel@aol.com.The firm has an affiliated company, Alyson Adventures, catering to gay men and lesbians who want active vacations such as biking or hiking their way through a locale, with moderately-priced packages to offer. Contact them at www.alysonadventures.com or 800/825-9766 or 305/296-9935.
For more information on a GLBT travel, read our exhaustive Compendium of Trip Planning Resources at .