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Just about everyone
loves to travel in some form or fashion. Whether it's a relatively
quick and easy car ride to a local river boat casino or a long
and complicated itinerary to a foreign destination, the idea
of getting away from the pressures of work and the stresses of
home life has great appeal to all.
When members of the GLBT community decide to take a vacation
they are often presented with a myriad of options in the form
of various travel companies that offer gay-specific vacation
packages. Given very favorable demographic statistics (including
more disposable income, a higher propensity for travel, and a
trend toward more diversified travel experiences), many new gay
travel companies have sprung up in recent years to join veteran
operators such as Atlantis Events (primarily for gay men) and
Olivia (for lesbians). We focus here on three of these companies
that have increasing significance within the industry: Zoom Vacations,
Venture Out, and Douglas Easton Travel.
Zoom Vacations
Chicago-based Zoom Vacations was founded by Joel Cabrera, Bryan
Herb, and Bill Gudenau. All were avid travelers and have now
combined their passion for travel and commitment to the gay and
lesbian community to create a tour company that meets the evolving
social, emotional, physical and spiritual needs of the gay and
lesbian leisure traveler.
Zoom creates
vacation experiences that are modern, fun, luxurious, and "value-engineered"
with an emphasis on adventure and culture complementing comfort
and style. Appealing to gay men and lesbians who view themselves
as sophisticated and living a modern global lifestyle, Zoom vacation
packages are designed to help travelers experience other cultures,
not just be holed up in an artificial environment that bears
little resemblance to the surrounding real life environment.
Vacation packages
scheduled for 2008 include trips to Sydney Mardi Gras (March),
Guatemala (April), Costa Rica (May), Amsterdam Gay Pride (August),
South Africa (September), India (October), and Machu Piccu (November).
Zoom Vacations
2338 North Monticello Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
866.966.6822 or 773.772.ZOOM (9666)
www.ZoomVacations.com
Venture
Out
Founded by Robert Driscoll in 1998, Venture Out emerged from
the growing need for a greater selection of upscale, small-group,
specialized-theme tours for the gay travel market. While large
cruise ship vacations with a multitude of travel options and
plenty of parties often appeal to newbies, experienced gay travelers
often turn to Venture Out for a more focused excursion. Their
aim is to enable folks not simply to sample a destination but
to experience it and appreciate it.
Destinations
in 2008 include Italy's Amalfi Coast (April), Andalucia in Spain
(April), Lyon & the Alps in France (May), Guatemala &
Belize (July), Peru (September), Turkey (October), and Southern
France (October).
Venture Out
575 Pierce Street, Suite 604
San Francisco, CA 94117
888.431.6789
www.Venture-Out.com
Douglas
Easton Travel
Operated by Douglas Easton (who has visited 175 coutries) and
amateur archaeologist John Ziegler, this California-based tour
company offers exciting and romantic trips to exotic and adventurous
destinations. Their vacations feature luxury hotels, mouth-watering
meals, and lots of special touches aimed specifically to the
LGBT market.
Destinations
in 2008 include Rome (April), Queen's Birthday in Amsterdam (April),
Paris (May), Madrid Gay Pride (June), Berlin (July), Galapagos
Island (August), Brazil & Argentina (September), South Africa
(September), and Vietnam (November).
Douglas Easton
Travel
800-957-DOUG (Toll free)
www.DouglasEastonTravel.com
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