The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) recently completed its annual IGLTA World Convention in Manchester,
England. More than 130 delegates representing major airlines, hotels, travel agencies and other travel companies from around the
world attended this event hosted by Marketing Manchester, and sponsored by the BMI and Continental Airlines, amongst others.
Alaska Airlines was among the winners in six categories of 'IGGY AWARDS' presented annually by the IGLTA. The awards
recognize excellence in print and electronic advertising in the gay and lesbian market. This was the first 'IGGY' for Alaska Airlines
and was accepted by Alaska Airline representative, Janis Gane.
The five other winners/categories of the 2003 IGGY AWARDS:
Pride World, Fort Lauderdale: Best advertisement promoting a Travel Agency.
Above and Beyond Tours, Palm Springs: Best advertisement promoting a destination.
Gaywired.com, Los Angeles: Best portal targeted to the gay and lesbian community.
Renoir Hotel, San Francisco: Best advertisement promoting an accommodation.
Visit Britain, Los Angeles: Best Web site promoting Gay and Lesbian Travel.
IGLTA (www.iglta.org) is the world's leading travel trade association committed to growing and enhancing its members' gay and
lesbian tourism business through education, promotion and networking.
Founded in 1983, with five founding members, the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) is today a 1,000+
members-strong and growing organization of gay, lesbian and community friendly travel professionals.
Highlighting Manchester's continued outreach to the lesbian & gay travel community, Marketing Manchester has worked with
VisitBritain.org over the past four years to deliver an effective lesbian and gay travel campaign and is now gearing up to host one of
the biggest events in the international lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender calendar, EuroPride 2003.
Highlights of the 2003 Convention included the Keynote Speaker Howard Hughes, a panel discussion entitled 'What Makes a
Gay/Lesbian Person Choose a Destination,' as well as break-out sessions. Delegates were treated to fine food and entertainment in
several locations throughout Manchester, including an opulent dinner train ride through Northern England aboard the 'Orient
Express.' The final farewell evening, held at Manchester's gothic Town Hall, was a celebration of IGLTA member's achievements and
recognition of goals attained.
In keeping with the UK government's progressive support for the gay and lesbian community, Prime Minister Tony Blair supplied
a quote read at the Gala Dinner stating, 'I am pleased to send IGLTA and your guests, my best wishes for a successful and enjoyable
convention, and to extend a warm personal welcome to Britain.'
He continued by stressing the importance of the tourism industry not only to the UK's economy but also its significance as a
method of breaking down barriers of ignorance, prejudice and discrimination.
Andrew Stokes, the managing director of Marketing Manchester and Chair of the Host Committee of the 2003 IGLTA Convention
concluded: 'We were proud to have been chosen as the host destination of the IGLTA Convention and delighted by its success.
Manchester has been given a wonderful opportunity to showcase its tourism offering first hand to the lesbian and gay travel market
and will without doubt reap a significant reward in return.'
Vancouver, British Columbia will be the host city of the 2004 IGLTA Convention. Symposia are to be held in Costa Rica in 2003
and Chicago in 2004 and Cologne, Germany has been selected as the host city for the 2005 IGLTA Convention.
British Tourist Authority Breaks Ground in Gay/
Lesbian Outreach
The British Tourist Authority, in conjunction with The London Tourist Board and Virgin Atlantic Airways, has announced a bold
new effort to reach the gay/lesbian traveler: outdoor billboard advertising. Dubbed the 'Meet Paul' campaign, the new ads feature a
traditional photo of Big Ben with the tag line 'See Big Ben. And (parenthetically) maybe meet an Ian or a Paul.' They appear on major
outdoor billboards in Los Angeles and New York City. It is the first destination campaign strategy of its kind in the United States.
'The gay traveler has long been an important audience to the British tourism industry,' says Serge Gojkovich, a consultant to the
British Tourist Authority on gay and lesbian travel. 'But this kind of bold approach and use of mainstream outlets is groundbreaking.
The BTA has literally 'come out' of the pages of gay and lesbian publications to make its position on this influential audience
unequivocal.'
According to the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA), gays and lesbians represent a $55 billion niche travel
market.
The 'Meet Paul' campaign offers deep discounts to London on Virgin Atlantic and the ability to receive a complimentary copy of
'Gay/Lesbian Life in London.'
For campaign details visit www.GayBritain.org/MeetPaul
