Buenos Aires Expects a Gay Travel Boom

To its dazzling tango, world-renowned beef and oh-so-European flair, Argentina can now add an altogether different touristic calling card: gay marriage. Or at least that’s the hope of many travel pros, who see in the nation’s surprise move to legalize same-sex unions — the first Latin American country to do so — a potential bright spot in an otherwise tough travel economy.

“This will position us as …a great place to visit,” said Carlos Melia, a 36-year-old Argentine whose boutique travel agency and consulting firm, CM by Carlos Melia, specializes in gay travel to the region. “We’re on the front pages of newspapers and magazines all over the world. Now everyone’s talking about Buenos Aires and Argentina. Not just gays; other minorities see that Argentina is an open and accepting country.”

Indeed, the July 15 vote in the Argentine Senate to legalize same-sex unions — the culmination of bare-knuckled brawling between President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, a backer of the measure, and the powerful Roman Catholic Church — grabbed headlines from New York to Sydney. The notion that any nation on this heavily Roman Catholic continent, even one as relatively progressive as Argentina, would sanction gay marriage caught much of the world, and even many of the measure’s supporters, by surprise.

“I have gay friends in Buenos Aires who tell me that people went out into the streets and celebrated as if we’d just won the World Cup,” said Argentine Sandra Borello, whose New York-based Borello Travel operates tailor-made tours to Argentina, Brazil, Chile and other regional destinations.

Straight supporters like Borello see gay marriage as critical in a nation where rigid family and inheritance laws leave unmarried couples with little, if any, legal rights. But the longtime travel pro also sees an upside for tourism in a country that has increasingly made its name as a gay-friendly destination.

“There are a bunch of hotels that are extremely gay-friendly, not just in Buenos Aires but in Patagonia, in Salta,” said Borello, whose traditional boutique agency includes a small but growing gay clientele. “In Argentina, a gay person can feel comfortable knowing he won’t be harassed or looked at in a funny way. That’s important.”

And it’s that reputation for social openness that tourism officials hope will provide Argentina with a leg up in the region. Buenos Aires, for example, which boasts a vibrant gay nightlife alongside its growing number of top-flight gay-oriented hotels, has been working for years to attract gay travelers. By legalizing same-sex marriage, said Melia, a former Mr. Gay World who advises the capital city on its gay-marketing efforts, Argentina has effectively created a competitive advantage.

“Now, the Brazilians for sure will have to come out with something to let people know that Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are better than Buenos Aires,” he said teasingly.

And it’s about more than just boasting rights, of course. Gay travelers are more likely to visit destinations where they feel welcome, an issue that can pose challenges in a region as socially conservative as Latin America.

And it’s that comfort level that travel pros like Borello are already working to harness. Immediately following the gay marriage vote, Borello Travel launched two packages aimed specifically at gay travelers interested in traveling to Argentina to marry or honeymoon. Her Yes, I Do! In Passionate Buenos Aires package features five nights in and around the capital, including a stay at the swanky Legado Mitico, whose First Lady room honors gay icon Evita Peron ($2,218 based on double occupancy), and a Yes, I Do! In Romantic Argentina five-night package, which takes couples from Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls ($1,386, based on double occupancy).

“The gay market is still relatively small,” said Borello. “But we have hopes that the [gay marriage] vote will bring good things.”
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SOURCE:
“Approval of gay marriage is boon to Argentina tourism”
By: Mario Correa
August 13, 2010
http://www.travelweekly.com
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