Sofitel Silom in Bangkok, Thailand

The Sofitel Silom located in Bangkok, Thailand has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Sofitel Silom recently post a review about your experience.

Palace B & B in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Palace B & B located in Amsterdam, The Netherlands has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Palace B & B recently post a review about your experience.

West Lodge Vegetarian GuestHouse in Norwich, U.K.

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that West Lodge Vegetarian GuestHouse located in Norwich, U.K. has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at West Lodge Vegetarian GuestHouse recently post a review about your experience.

Villa la Pinède in Avignon, France

PinkChoice has just added Villa la Pinède located in Avignon, France!
If you have stayed at Villa la Pinède recently post a review about your experience.

Casa Sirena Hotel Boutique in Cancun, Mexico

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Casa Sirena Hotel Boutique located in Cancun, Mexico has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Casa Sirena Hotel Boutique recently post a review about your experience.

BBB Inn in Bangkok, Thailand

PinkChoice is pleased to add the BBB Inn in Bangkok, Thailand.
The BBB Inn is part of the BBB Group. It is exclusively gay with 17 standard and 6 deluxe rooms, located 1-2 minutes walk from all the major gay bars in theSilom/Surawong Area. It is approximately 35 km from the new Bangkok airport. The 24 hour coffee shop serves drinks, and food from outside. The facilities include Pool table, reading corner, meeting place, Internet Café with wireless access.
If you have stayed at the BBB Inn recently post a review about your experience.

Hotel Es Vive in Ibiza, Spain

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Hotel Es Vive located in Ibiza, Spain has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Hotel Es Vive recently post a review about your experience.

Villa Mazarin in Paris, France

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Villa Mazarin located in Paris, France has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Villa Mazarin recently post a review about your experience.

Sandy Hook Cottage B & B in Highlands, USA

PinkChoice is pleased to announce that Sandy Hook Cottage B & B located in Highlands, USA has been added to our listings!

Located in Highlands, New Jersey, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean at Sandy Hook Bay, Sandy Hook Cottage enjoys panoramic views spanning from New York City to the beaches of Long Island, New York.

"The Cottage" is an intimate, New Jersey Shore bed and breakfast offering magnificent accommodations and warm, friendly hospitality. Perfect for romantic getaways, honeymoons, birthday celebrations, anniversaries or a well-deserved, relaxing break.

It is located less than a one hour drive from New York City or only thirty-five minutes on the scenic "Seastreak" fast ferry direct from Manhattan. In addition it is only ninety minutes from Philadelphia and less from the Bucks County suburbs.

If you have stayed at Sandy Hook Cottage B & B recently post a review about your experience.

Observations from HotelChatter.com - and a call for More Gay Sydney!

A tip of the cap to HotelChatter.com for pointing out one of the gay travel community's biggest needs in their post about our great first year: more information about some of the world's best vacation spots. Pink Choice agrees - we're proud to have our members on board and are excited to bring more hotels and resorts into the picture through their reviews.

We stand by our assertion that Sydney is indeed one of the prime gay friendly destinations in the world. If you've been to a Sydney hot spot and want to share, log in and let us know the details!

Happy Birthday to Us!

We were thrilled to announce our first anniversary today, and hope you'll join us in celebrating a great first year!

Since launching in 2006, Pink Choice has expanded to include over 200 global destinations covering 1000 hotels, inns and guesthouses. The site’s membership is strong and growing stronger, with over 800 unique visitors per day reading and posting reviews.

“Gay travel is changing before our eyes, with destinations literally branding themselves pink to attract the gay traveler – and the gay dollar,” said Trevor Pinker, co-founder of Pink Choice. “This is a great movement, but travelers need to hear real voices amid the marketing speak: they can help our global community know before they pack their bags whether their destination will welcome them with open arms. We’re proud to be providing a forum for those voices.”

The site’s rising popularity corresponds to findings of a study by MarketResearch.com in association with Witeck-Combs Communications (The Gay and Lesbian Market in the US, Fifth Edition, February 2007). The study cites that “nearly half (48%) of gay men and lesbians (47%) believe that the degree of gay-friendliness of a destination is important, very important, or extremely important in deciding where to travel.” This from a community that, according to the study, is comprised of frequent travelers and weighs in with an estimated 2006 buying power of $660 billion, with that number projected to exceed $835 billion by 2011.

“Let’s face it: the gay and lesbian community enjoys travel, but can’t always be sure they know what they’ll find when they reach their destination,” said Stephen Mascilo, co-founder of Pink Choice. “Unbiased, honest reviews about the things that matter most was a need that wasn’t being addressed, and we are proud to have taken the right steps to make a difference to our members.”

The travel community has responded as well: advertisers on the website include the Canadian Tourist Board, the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, the Provincetown Business Guild, the World’s Foremost Gay and Lesbian Hotels, BeYou Travel, Cape Air, and many individual hotels and guesthouses from around the world. Apart from advertising, Pink Choice encourages gay friendly properties to list on the site and travelers to submit comments that will help the community.

At year’s end, www.pinkchoice.com will issue its Pink Choice Awards to recognize properties that stand out based on the number and quality of the reviews they receive.

Trends in Pink Prominence

There's a lot of talk about the gay dollar lately, as a couple of studies show in plain numbers just how staggering powerful we are. No surprise to us, of course, although it seems to be news to some industries that are now stampeding to attract that pink money.

This is a good thing! And we at Pink Choice are proud to be a part of guiding travelers through all that stampeding. In fact, we're called out along with other areas that are worth watching in this Forever Trends series - check it out to learn more about industries that are finally catching on.

Speak out for Ft. Lauderdale

The flap in Ft. Lauderdale isn’t going away, as Mayor Jim Naugle’s various assertions (that robotic toilets are the answer to public gay sex, that homosexuals are inherently unhappy, and many more) continue to fuel an unfortunate fire in what has historically been one of the world’s most welcoming gay travel communities. There are a wide range of hotels and guesthouses that receive consistently glowing praise from our members, and we hate to see a wonderful business and pleasure destination suffering through such an avoidable struggle.

As the Gay Travel Blog shows us with its July 29 post and linkthrough to the Sun Sentinel, the media has gone to work letting us all know that gay tourism will survive. Meanwhile, some factions would like to put a dent in that sense of security, calling for a tourist boycott of the area.

We do not believe that diminishing our presence in Ft. Lauderdale is the answer. Yes, it will rob the city of a core source of revenue, but it will also make deep cuts into the businesses that have worked hard to make the area so welcoming in the first place.

We therefore encourage our members to raise their voices before launching a boycott: join us in emailing the Mayor’s office (mayorjames@aol.com), the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of South Florida (info@glccsf.org), and The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation - GLAAD (contact via their website) with constructive thoughts on the matter. Worth noting that GLAAD issued a press release on this subject and deserves our full support for putting a good foot forward.

We look forward to the Mayor adopting an attitude that better represents his city’s history and community – or to stepping down in favor of one who will.

Woodstocker Inn in Woodstock, USA

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Woodstocker Inn located in Woodstock, USA has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Woodstocker Inn recently post a review about your experience.

Fridays Place in Trivandrum, India

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Fridays Place located in Trivandrum, India has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Fridays Place recently post a review about your experience.

Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe, USA

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Inn of the Anasazi located in Santa Fe, USA has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Inn of the Anasazi recently post a review about your experience.

Casa Holanda Bed and Breakfast, in Heredia, Costa Rica

PinkChoice has just added Casa Holanda Bed and Breakfast located in Heredia, Costa Rica to it's listings!
If you have stayed at Casa Holanda Bed and Breakfast, recently post a review about your experience.

Oketon B & B, in Bude, U.K.

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Oketon B & B located in Bude, U.K. has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Oketon B & B, Bude, Cornwall recently post a review about your experience.

Le Chateau Japonais in Hastings, U.K.

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Le Chateau Japonais located in Hastings, U.K. has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Le Chateau Japonais recently post a review about your experience.

Nelson House B & B in Vancouver, Canada

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Nelson House B & B located in Vancouver, Canada has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Nelson House B & B recently post a review about your experience.

Club Tucanes Playa in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Club Tucanes Playa located in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Club Tucanes Playa recently post a review about your experience.

twentytwo in Cape Town, South Africa

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that twentytwo located in Cape Town, South Africa has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at twentytwo recently post a review about your experience.

CHECK OUT BEFORE YOU CHECK IN - HOTEL SURCHARGES CAN UP YOU BILL

Hidden hotel surcharges is one thing PINK CHOICE strongly resents. This article by Diane C. Lade explains.

Summer travelers who don't check out hotel charges before they check in might get an unpleasant surprise at the end of their stay.

The hotel industry is finding new ways to slip automatic surcharges, along with other additional fees, onto the bill. They range from $1 or $2 for a room safe to a $40 daily resort fee covering poolside towels, golf courses or tennis courts -- whether you use these amenities or not.

"You truly have to be careful. By the time you're done, your $50-a-day hotel turns out to be $100 a day," says Miggy Hunt of Identity Travel in Hollywood, which books large groups into South Florida resort hotels.

That adds up to big money. PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting firm that tracks hospitality trends, estimates hotel fees and surcharges will net a record $1.75 billion this year, more than triple the x $500 million they brought in five years ago.

The Florida Attorney General's Office is investigating two hotel companies over automatic charges and fee disclosures, said spokeswoman Sandi Copes: Tri-State Hospitality Inc. in Orlando -- operators of Sleep Inn & Suites as well as Choice Hotels International -- and the Boulevard Motel Corp., which runs a Comfort Inn in West Palm Beach.

The Attorney General's Office, which started a deceptive-trade practice investigation in 2001 after state employees traveling for business noticed unexpected charges on their bills, settled with three major hotel management companies and owners since 2005, the latest being what was then called Wyndham International.

Wyndham, purchased by LXR Properties in 2005, agreed last year to list automatic charges as rates were quoted upfront and reservations made. The company also will refund a total of $560,000 to hotel guests who stayed at 37 Wyndham Florida properties between May 29, 1998, and July 28, 2006.

Most hotels involved in the settlement were in South Florida, Sanibel, Orlando and the Florida Keys. For more information and to file a claim, call 800-930-0057 or go to www.myfloridalegal.com and put the words "Wyndham restitution" in the search field. Claims must be received or postmarked by Oct. 27.

While federal law requires guests be notified about add-on fees, experts say how and when that happens will vary between hotels and the type of charge or service.

"A lot of times, the hotels are pretty sneaky. They put Perrier and snacks in a basket in your room and you think, 'Oh, that's nice.' You don't see the little card next to it that says you'll be charged for it," said Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com.

Travelers can protect themselves from sticker shock by asking upfront whether a rate quote is all-inclusive -- and if not, determining in advance what taxes, fees and automatic surcharges will be added, said Tod Marks, senior editor at Consumer Reports, which published an investigation on hotels this month. "Once you book, it's hard to get charges erased," Marks said.

And stay away from extras such as the minibar, the telephone and in-room meals if you want to save, as these hotel money-makers may cost more than guests realize. For example, Marks said, a resort may levy an automatic tray charge or delivery fee for room service on top of the expected gratuity.

Automatic hotel fee complaints filed with the Florida Attorney General's Office have been up in recent years, going from one in 2003 to 10 last year. Eight already have been lodged this year. Resort fees and other automatic charges have come under increased scrutiny, as these costs are added to the bill regardless of the services a consumer uses.

In 2005, Marriott International and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, whose brands include Westin and Sheraton, agreed to disclose automatic charges and change its policies after an investigation by the Florida Attorney General's Office, but did not have to pay guests restitution.

Joe McInerny, president and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, said the major hotel chains now are complying with disclosure rules and no longer assess an energy surcharge, which was found illegal in California several years ago.

"They understand the ramifications. They want to have happy guests, who will go back and tell their friends what a good time they had at their hotels," said McInereny, whose association represents about 10,000 hotels.

But smaller operators "may be confused or not understand," McInerny added. "Or they think that because they are a small property, no one will pay attention." Hotels are allowed to impose automatic surcharges but must "clearly and conspicuously" show them prior to someone booking, said Karen Hobbs, staff attorney with the Federal Trade Commission's marketing practices division.

"I think the industry is sensitive to this but is trying to figure out at what point they disclose," Hobbs said.

Automatic surcharges and add-on fees have become more popular as hotels struggle to recoup the in-room phone revenue they lost when more guests started carrying cell phones, said Joseph J. West, dean of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University in Miami.

Waiting to tack on charges until right before a booking is made can keep a lower, more attractive base rate in front of hotel shoppers longer, West said. Consumers always can ask for resort and other "automatic" fees to be waived.

"Everything at a hotel is negotiable. How negotiable it will be just depends on if it is high or low season, and how many vacant rooms the hotel has," West said.

By Diane C. Lade
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted June 22 2007

PAMPERING THE GAY TRAVELER

PINK CHOICE applauds this trend by hotel chains to pamper the gay traveler.
In a world where hotel guests increasingly crave pampering, upscale hotel chains are turning club floors into over-the-top retreats where members can choose their pillow, groove to a free iPod and pour a cappuccino day or night.

Hotel "clubs," members-only floors with special perks not available to standard guests, have been used for decades to reward good customers. But now hotel chains are trying to raise the bar to justify higher rates and boost revenue. Ritz-Carlton is adding fireplaces and barista coffee service, Sheraton's installing new computers that let users download music, while Hilton plans more late-night snacks.

The chains are in various stages of launching new club concepts, but many expect to start in the next year. Some examples:

•Sheraton will start providing free wireless Internet and the new Microsoft Surface tabletop computer that lets people order songs or download photos. It's considering Starbucks single-serve coffee machines and self-service refrigerators to let guests help themselves to drinks or yogurt. New lounges are being tested at Sheratons in Chicago, Overland Park, Kan., and Toronto.

•Wyndham is planning a new look and feel for club levels in 2008 that will emphasize an allergen-free environment and more ways to personalize one's visit, by, say, pillow type or fruit request, says Peter Strebel, president of Wyndham Worldwide. The new concept can soon be seen at Wyndham O'Hare, now under renovation. Club rooms will cost 5% to 25% extra, depending on the market.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Sheraton | Lounge

•Hyatt plans free wireless Internet and cappuccino machines on club floors. It's testing oversize, marble-topped tables to make it easier to work on laptops, hold small meetings and squeeze more people into small lounges, says John Wallis of Hyatt. Hyatt's trying new lounges at the Hyatt Baltimore and Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Chicago.

•Hilton is launching night club food and drink offerings plus concierge services for members. Test lounges will open this year at Dallas Lincoln Center, St. Petersburg, Fla., and Villahermosa, Mexico.

•Ritz-Carlton is offering free lunch foods such as sandwiches and salads and is considering more sophisticated adults-only club lounges after seeing the success of the adult lounge at its Cancun, Mexico, resort. A new club lounge is being tested at the San Francisco Ritz-Carlton, which has a fireplace and automated cappuccino machine, pet-walking services and free use of music-filled iPods.

Fancy services aim to justify higher rates

The focus on club floors — also called concierge or executive floors — comes as nightly rates are rising and hoteliers are seeking ways to justify higher rates. Furthermore, the chains face growing demand from leisure travelers willing to pay extra for VIP room assignments, as well as loyalty club members expecting them as free upgrades.

Guests who stay on club floors expect restricted key-card access to their floor, better bedding, fewer children, concierge service and a lounge that offers a free breakfast buffet and evening snacks. Some offerings are better than others, and inconsistency leaves some people leery of the premium rate.

Now, chains across the price spectrum — from $200 a night to more than $1,000 — are brainstorming new formats to make club floors seem more like a hotel-within-a-hotel and worth the price.

As chains launch their new club concepts in the next year, travelers will see them pitched as clubby, exclusive retreats for the well-heeled or just affluent-minded, says Chekitan Dev, an associate marketing professor at Cornell University's hotel school.

Sheraton, which expects to launch its revised club later this year, plans to market floors to non-loyalty members for an extra $25 to $100 per night, depending on the market, says Hoyt Harper, a Starwood brand executive. Frequent guests of Sheraton or parent company Starwood will be able to confirm them at special rates, using points or taking a chance they'll land a free upgrade, he says. Today, Sheraton collects a premium from 28% of club-floor guests.

The club-floor concept took off in the 1970s, when hotel chains started mimicking the airlines' new loyalty programs. The concept became the hotel industry's version of a first-class upgrade. By the early 1980s, most of the major chains offered a club floor.

Club floors cater to niche markets

By modernizing club floors, giving them some uniformity and aggressively marketing them, hoteliers also hope to appeal to fast-growing niche markets including:

•Women. Many women traveling alone on business like staying on a floor with restricted access and may appreciate relaxing in a more exclusive lounge instead of the bustling lobby bar.

•Generation X. Younger business travelers have shaped innovations in lobbies, bathrooms and bars, and this is no different. They tend to like to work and hang out in public spaces instead of their rooms.

•Families. With more business travelers bringing families along for extended weekend getaways, hotels are seeing more demand for club lounges on weekends, which had been traditionally quiet times. Lounges present value to families, because they can feed the kids breakfast for free.

By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY

AUSTRALIA MOVES TOWARDS RECOGNIZING GAY MARRIAGE

PINK CHOICE applauds the rising trend in Australia. In a dramatic lift in support, new research reveals that Australians are now strongly in favour of equal marriage rights for lesbian and gay Australians.

The Australian GetUp! civil rights organisation, commissioned Galaxy research that shows 57% of Australians now believe that gays and lesbians deserve the right to marry.

In related news, the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission released a long awaited report on same sex rights in Australia: Same-Sex: Same Entitlements that proceeds on the basis that all Australians have the right to expect equal treatment before the law.

The report quotes Article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:

"All persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law. In this respect, the law shall prohibit any discrimination and guarantee to all persons equal and effective protection against
discrimination on any ground..."

It seems obvious that all Australian citizens ought to be considered entitled to equal treatment before the law and we hope this report might see the Australian government move towards the position being adopted by progressive governments all over the world.

An Australian general election is scheduled for later this year and conservative leader, John Howard currently trails his opposition counterpart, Kevin Rudd in the latest opinion polls. (Now that's a positive move - Pink Choice)

Reported by Ian Johnson - OutNews - June 2007

TORONTO PITCHING FOR GAY U.S. TRAVELERS

PINK CHOICE picked up this piece of news regarding Toronto.

Tourism Toronto plans to launch an advertising campaign aimed at making the city a top destination for gay travellers from the U.S.

The campaign will focus on four major cities - New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. It will include ads in gay restaurants, bars and local publications, as well as event sponsorships and other promotional activities.

"Toronto has things to offer all year round--we've got a number of festivals outside of Pride that we can market," said Bruce MacDonald of the Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

The ads are still being finalized, but CTV's John Musselman reported that one of them will read: "Just think--in Toronto, you would be the hot and sexy foreigner." The tag line will say "Toronto--as gay as it gets."

Tourism Toronto also established a new group to help with gay marketing that includes more than a dozen local community leaders. The association is also helping hotels in the city and region gain status as 'gay-friendly' establishments through Travel Gay Canada.

City councillor Kyle Rae said Toronto needs to sell itself to gay and lesbian travellers who have plenty of disposable income.

"Toronto has the sense of gateway, so if you come to Toronto you can go to Niagara Falls, you can go to the wine district, and you can go to Muskoka," Rae said.

Tourism officials increased its gay-targeting advertising budget by 50 per cent to $300,000. Business owners in Toronto's gay and lesbian village said it is money well spent.

"I think it's important to get more people to the city, there's a lot of disposable incomes...tourism is huge," said Jimmy Georgoulis with Fuzion restaurant.

"I think it's a great thing for this city to finally focus on this demographic," said Gerry Pergolesi, a bed and breakfast owner.

The new campaign is designed to market the entire city and surrounding region to gay travellers.

Recent research shows that U.S. gay travellers:

* Travel more frequently - 98 per cent have taken at least one overnight trip in the last twelve months, compared with 72 per cent for heterosexual Americans;
* Stay longer - they stayed an average of 15 nights in hotels last year, compared with an average of about three nights for all U.S. travelers;
* Spend more - gay men spend $800 on average per trip, compared to $540 by non-gay travelers.
* More likely to be passport holders- 71 per cent of travelers who identify themselves as gay hold a valid passport, nearly three times the overall U.S. average of 24 per cent and;
* Travel throughout the year - With an average household income of $85,000 and an average age of 44, this market tends to travel throughout the year, not just during peak seasons.

Tourism Toronto also announced Friday that city has won the bid to host the 2009 Annual Convention of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association.

With a report from CTV's John Musselman

Dalyan Queens Hotel in Dalyan, Turkey

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Dalyan Queens Hotel located in Dalyan, Turkey has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Dalyan Queens Hotel recently post a review about your experience.

Stonehurst Place in Atlanta, USA

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Stonehurst Place located in Atlanta, USA has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Stonehurst Place recently post a review about your experience.

Le Domaine aux Quat'Saisons in Rieux-Minervois, Carcassonne, France

PinkChoice has just added Le Domaine aux Quat'Saisons located in Rieux-Minervois, Carcassonne, France as a new property in France!
If you have stayed at Le Domaine aux Quat'Saisons recently post a review about your experience for others to share.

Flying Cloud Hotel in Xcalak, Mexico

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Flying Cloud Hotel located in Xcalak, Mexico has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Flying Cloud Hotel recently post a review about your experience.

Royal Villa II in Phoenix, USA

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Royal Villa II located in Phoenix, USA has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Royal Villa II recently post a review about your experience.

Finca Leria in Alora, Nr Malaga, Spain

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Finca Leria located in Alora, Nr Malaga, Spain has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Finca Leria recently post a review about your experience.

Little Inn of Bayfield in Bayfield, Canada

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Little Inn of Bayfield located in Bayfield, Canada has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Little Inn of Bayfield recently post a review about your experience.

Berney/Fly Bed and Breakfast in Mobile, USA

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Berney/Fly Bed and Breakfast located in Mobile, USA has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Berney/Fly Bed and Breakfast recently post a review about your experience.

The Town House in Glastonbury, U.K.

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that The Town House located in Glastonbury, U.K. has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at The Town House recently post a review about your experience.

PINK CHOICE CONGRATULATES NEW HAMPSHIRE

Pink Choice is delighted to report that gay couples in New Hampshire can start applying for many of the rights and responsibilities of marriage as early as January under a law Gov. John Lynch signed Thursday establishing civil unions.

"We in New Hampshire have had a long and proud tradition taking the lead in opposing discrimination," Lynch said. "Today that tradition continues."

Couples who enter civil unions will have the same rights, responsibilities and obligations as married couples. Same-sex unions from other states also would be recognized if they were legal in the state where they were performed.

Legislators who gathered for the bill signing packed the governor's chambers and overflowed into an adjoining sitting room. They snapped photos and burst into applause as he signed it.

"I've listened and I've heard all the arguments," said Lynch, a Democrat. "I do not believe that this bill threatens marriage. I believe that this is a matter of conscience and fairness."

Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson was among those attending. Although his consecration in 2003 as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church divided the worldwide Anglican Communion to which it belongs, Robinson and his longtime partner plan to take advantage of civil unions.

"This is not a radical departure," Robinson said of the bill. "This is a real confirmation of what New Hampshire has always been about: the freedom of its own citizens and fairness for everyone."

Robinson said he will not direct Episcopal priests in the state to bless same-sex unions, letting priests decide that individually. Such blessings have been another divisive issue for Episcopalians and the Anglican union.

"That authority belongs to them and I would not in any way ask them not to do that. ... Just like in marriages, every priest will have the option to bless or not to bless," Robinson said.

Massachusetts alone among the U.S. states allows gay marriage. Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, Maine, California and Washington allow either civil unions or domestic partnerships, and Oregon will join the list with New Hampshire in January. Hawaii extends certain spousal rights to same-sex couples and cohabiting heterosexual pairs. (Beverley Wang, AP)

FUTURE TRENDS ABOUT SAVVY TRAVELERS

Understanding consumers’ expectations is paramount to delivering the type of hospitality experience that will bring repeat business and earn excellent world-of-mouth recommendations. These expectations are being driving by five major cultural trends, according to Daniel Levine, founder, Avant-Guide.

Whether you call them Gen Y, the Millennials, Echo Boomers, the Net Generation or Worlders, the currently generation of 12 to 27 year olds is information savvy and media-oriented. To reach this segment of the market, the Hotel Distribution Industry will need to employ strategies that meet the needs of this hyper-technological group, say speakers at the 2007 Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) Conference held on 22 May 2007 at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin, Ireland.

The Millennial’s view of the world is that “life is to be shared, displayed and lived on the world stage,” says Dr. Lalia Rach, associated deal of the New York University’s (NYU) Tisch Center and HVS International Chair at NYU. Millennials feel they share music, media and movies with others around the world, leading to shared experience. This generation feels that cultural differences have only a secondary impact on their lives. Millennials have high expectations, expect to receive recognition for their achievements and place a great deal of importance on peer-to-peer experiences. In addition, they are considered to be unconventional – this is the generation that wears flip-flop sandals in the middle of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Yet, this is the group that is schedule sensitive and still close to parents.

Marketing to this segment of travelers calls for different approaches. According to Rach, marketing needs to be on the Millennial’s schedule, which is based on a 24/7 availability – this generation won’t accept that brick-and-mortar businesses close when the Internet is open all the time. The Hotel Distribution Industry should look at using social networks to get their messages to the Millennials. The ideal technological tool for this generation is the Apple iPhone, which encompasses all the tech changes in one device. “It’s all about the experience, lifestyle and personalization,” Rach says.

Reaching an emerging segment – the Chinese traveler

The Millennials aren’t the only up-and-coming consumer segment that needs to be addressed by the Hotel Distribution Industry. More and more Chinese are traveling. Hotels can and should be marketing to them – especially hotels in Europe, advises Tom Jenkins, executive director, European Tour Operators Association. Jenkins believes this is a potentially huge market although at the moment, 75% of Chinese travelers visit only Hong Kong and Macao due to credit card and visa issues.

The Association recently surveyed travel agents in three Chinese cities – Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. The survey found the number one travel destination is France, followed by Italy, Switzerland and Germany. Europe is attractive due to shopping, scenery, its culture, dining and outdoor activities. On the plus side, the Chinese find Europe to be modern, civilized and cultured. On the negative side, the Chinese feel Europeans are arrogant and discriminatory, and that the region is expensive and dirty.

Marketing in China is difficult, says Jenkins, noting that the Chinese will research hospitality information online but still use travel agents for bookings.

The changing face of online booking

Until about five years ago, online booking wasn’t available on many websites in the West. But that’s changed dramatically. A panel composed of Google, Marriot Hotels, Lastminute.com, TripAdvisor and FlairView reviewed the progress of consumers in researching, choosing and booking hotels online.

Typically, consumers start a search on Google and then drill down for detail, with particular emphasis on other consumers’ reviews and comparison shopping for the best deal. Referral sites, such as TripAdvisor, allow consumers to get the good and bad news about a hotel before deciding to book. Meta search products like Kayak.com are useful for checking prices.

In addition, consumers want to see the complete experience a location has to offer in terms of sights of interest, the hotel’s accommodations, and other amenities. Consumers want to “be able to experience the vacation before arriving” at the destination, says panel moderator Bruce Speechley, business unit leader/Travel and Transportation, IBM Global.

The five cultural trends affecting the hotel distribution industry

Understanding consumers’ expectations is paramount to delivering the type of hospitality experience that will bring repeat business and earn excellent world-of-mouth recommendations. These expectations are being driving by five major cultural trends, according to Daniel Levine, founder, Avant-Guide. These trends are:

Exclusivity through personalization and localization—consumers expect to be catered to for their hospitality needs.

Upscale design—Design no longer is viewed as a luxury, but a trend to be honored.

Control and consumer transparency – consumers want to feel they are in control of their hospitality experience, whether it be using price comparison sites, placing live phone pictures online for others to see at websites like ComVu.com, or posting reviews of services on a website like Consumerist.com.

Empathy and social networking 2.5 – This is the intersection between real and virtual worlds. Various companies are offering networking opportunities from choosing your cab-sharing partner to IM-ing another passenger on the same plane to invitation-only ‘meet spaces’ designed to bring like-minded travelers together. Hotels, particularly, “are a natural and organic place for social networking.”

Abundance – The wealth of opportunities to service micro niches – whether it be the Millennials or over 50s—allows personalization of services and offerings.
Finally, Levine points out that hotels need to be seen as being dedicated to green initiatives in order to appeal to travelers.

CHINA TO BECOME 3rd BIGGEST TRAVEL DESTINATION

China is likely to replace the United States as the world's third most popular tourism destination next year, a United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) official said.

At present, China ranks fourth, after France, Spain and the United States.

Last year, China accounted for 5.8 percent of the global tourism market, a growth of 0.3 percent compared with two years ago.

Twenty-nine percent of tourists who traveled to Asia and the Pacific last year also visited China.

Xu Jing, regional representative for Asia and the Pacific of UNWTO, said the market share percentages of China and the U.S. last year were very close.

"I am confident China will overtake the US next year," he said at the 2007 China (Qingdao) International Olympics & Tourism Forum, which concluded on Friday.

UNWTO forecast last year that China would become the most popular destination by the year 2020. At the beginning of this year, it revised its forecast to 2015. Xu said the forecast was revised because of the rapid development of the country's tourism industry.

The number of overseas travelers to China has increased from 10.5 million in 1996 to 49 million in 2006. The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, will further boost China's tourism market.

The Pacific and Asia Travel Association said inbound tourism to China will increase by 5 percent year-on-year between 2007 and 2009.
(China Daily)

Bohemian Paradise in Granada, Nicaragua

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Bohemian Paradise located in Granada, Nicaragua has been added to our listings!
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PINK CHOICE SAYS SHAME ON SNOOPING DOWN UNDER?

PINK CHOICE was very disturbed to read that under policy options being considered by the Australian government, visitors with HIV could have their movements monitored or be prevented from entering Australia altogether.

Late last week it was revealed that Prime Minister John Howard has sought his immigration and health ministers' advice concerning the public health risk posed by HIV/AIDS, as well as querying the public health implications of letting HIV-positive people into the country.

The move follows comments Howard made during a radio interview last month, where the prime minister said he would consider stopping HIV-positive people from coming to the country unless there were humanitarian reasons to let them.

A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews confirmed the Department of Immigration and Citizenship was preparing advice for the prime minister.

"The department is looking at what requirements we have under different visa classes (for HIV testing) and whether these need to be expanded," the spokesperson said.

Currently, people wanting to become permanent residents of Australia are tested for HIV, with some foreigners entering Australia on student or business visas exempt from testing.

If an individual hoping to enter Australia tests positive for HIV, his immigration application is automatically reviewed by health authorities to assess whether he represents a significant cost to the health system and whether he is financially able to support himself in Australia.

The final decision is made at the discretion of the Immigration Minister.

Howard has also asked authorities investigating HIV policy whether different government agencies should be notified of the movements of HIV-positive immigrants, according to a report in Melbourne's Age newspaper.

According to the paper, a source said the review was not considering a broad ban of all HIV-positive people, but better screening and monitoring and ways of monitoring or blocking those that set off "warning bells."

A spokesperson for the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations, Don Baxter, told the Age that infections arising from short-term visa holders have had "minuscule impact" and a HIV screening policy would adversely affect the tourist industry.

Baxter also raised concerns that compulsory screening would result in people having a false sense of security, conveying that "people with HIV will be kept out, therefore it's OK to have unsafe sex with people from other countries." (Cath Pope, Gay.com Australia)

PINK CHOICE AWAITS CONNECTICUT MARRIAGE DECISION

Amy Bourke

Along with other members of the gay and lesbian community, PINK CHOICE eagerly awaits the outcome of the debate over same-sex marriage rights in Connecticut that could soon be decided by the state Supreme Court.

The arguments from both sides were wrapped up in court on May 15, 2007, but the decision will probably be months in coming.

Eight same-sex couples originally filed the lawsuit in August 2004. They believe that when they were denied the ability to marry, their rights to equality were violated.
The couples have been together between 13 and 31 years.

Connecticut was the first state to allow civil unions without court pressure, but same-sex couples cannot marry in the state.

Attorney Bennet Klein told AP: "What is denied to these families is something that goes to the heart of equal protection, which is the right to be part of the fabric of society when they are just the same as other couples and other families."

However, the state is arguing that the civil unions the state offers do provide equality, and that the issue should be left to legislators.

"All of those rights and benefits, at least under state law, have been granted," Assistant Attorney General Jane Rosenberg told AP. "From a legal perspective, there are no rights that have been taken away from that group and, in fact, equal rights have now been given to that group."

If the judges were to find in favour of the gay couples, they could order an overhaul of Connecticut's marriage laws which would have national ramifications.

The only state which currently allows same-sex couples to marry is Massachusetts, while Connecticut, Vermont, California, New Jersey, Maine and Washington have laws allowing either civil unions or domestic partnership.

A civil union law is expected to take effect in New Hampshire in January.

Article written by Amy Bourke

NEW MAPPING SERVICE FROM YAHOO

Yahoo's online mapping service in the United States will begin giving driving directions in 34 European countries from Wednesday, May 16, 2007 as part of an upgrade aimed at luring traffic away from rivals AOL and Google Inc.

Besides guiding U.S. motorists around Europe for the first time, Yahoo said it also will feature more landmarks and other visual cues to help people find their way around neighborhoods. By relying on new software, Yahoo believes its maps will be more accurate, too.

So, if you need directions to any of the properties in North America and Europe that are listed on Pink Choice, you now have another mapping resource available to you.

OREGON CREATES DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS FOR GAY MEN AND LESBIANS.

On Jan 1, 2008, Oregon will join the growing list of states offering same-sex couples some of the benefits of marriage. Gov Ted Kulongonski who strongly backed the new legislation said the new law would “transform our state from one of exclusion to one of complete inclusion”. He also signed a bill that outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation effective on the same date.

PINK CHOICE applauds Gov Kulongonski and the legislature for overcoming the blocks that have prevented the progress of this legislation from becoming law in recent years. Oregon is the latest state to join Vermont, Connecticut, California, New Jersey, Maine and Washington that have laws allowing either civil unions or domestic partnerships. Hawaii recently approved a civil union measure that Gov John Lynch has said he will sign. Massachusetts alone remains the only state that allows same-sex couples to marry.

Pink Choice applauds Philadelphia street signs promoting the gay district

In a move to actively market Philadelphia to gay travelers, city leaders have officially delineated Philly’s gay district by installing 36 new street signs featuring a rainbow banner. The city’s official gay neighborhood extends from 11th to Broad St, and from Pine to Locust.
Councilman Frank DiCicco said that he wants the world to know that Philadelphia is very diverse, a message that Pink Choice endorses.
As Philadelphia takes a major step to embrace the GLBT Community, we at Pink Choice ask all our members to provide us with reviews of Philadelphia hotel, inn and guesthouse experiences, so that we too can foster the gay community in a city that is positively welcoming us.

York House in Blackpool, U.K.

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that York House located in Blackpool, U.K. has been added to our listings!
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Hotel Ishakpasa Konagi in Istanbul, Turkey

PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Hotel Ishakpasa Konagi located in Istanbul, Turkey has been added to our listings!
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