The Chicago Tourism Bureau teamed with GayCities April 6 for a low-key cocktail party at Center on Halsted as the bureau launched its 2011 LGBT marketing campaign.
"This campaign originally started when GayCities met with the Chicago Tourism Bureau last year when we came to town to throw an event for our Chicago members," said Matt Slusarenko, communications director at GayCities. When asked why the Chicago Tourism Bureau was partnering with an out-of-town company instead of a local one, Slusarenko said, "Our interest in Chicago and investment in Chicago is what led the CTB [ Chicago Tourism Bureau ] to partner with GayCities to attract a greater influence in the LGBT travel market." [ The bureau was asked similar questions but had not responded by the press deadline. ]
The event was invitation-only. Guests at the event included the Northhalsted Business Alliance and Chicago-based International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association members as well as select press and vendors. Guest enjoyed sponsored cocktails and lively conversation. The theme for the event was "Chicago is a city with no shortage of pride."
The goal of this year's campaign is to "share information about the large and important LGBT community in the city of Chicago, as well as draw focus to the many great restaurants, bars, destinations that travels can find in Chicago and highlight [ the ] newly passed civil-unions law," said Slusarenko. Photos and text by Natasha Hemley