Gay and lesbian holiday booking website to launch

A specialist travel advice and booking website for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community is to be launched in March.

PLANitGAY.com aims to be a fully bonded agent prior to launch.

The site has been designed to be the most comprehensive, up to date, user friendly holiday booking website dedicated to the European and North American LGBT community, according to its founders, Reside International.

PLANitGAY will launch simultaneously in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch.

Local rate phone numbers for the UK, US, France, Germany, Spain and Holland will be available as well to help with bookings and to assist users.

The site will provide a travel search functionality, with flight search including all major and no-frills carries, and hotels that are approved as LGBT friendly.

There will also be sections for LGBT-friendly cruises, package holidays, and for advice for HIV+ travellers.

A portion of all profits from PLANitGAY.com will go to the Terrence Higgins Trust and Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Individual locations including bars, restaurants, clubs, hotels and other venues can have individual pages on the site, which must be updated at least once a month to remain active.

This will ensure that travellers will not end up visiting locations that have gone out of business or moved without updating their online listings.

Reside International was formed as a Limited Company in March 2007 by directors Selina Wakeling and Richard Cruise, who having worked in the serviced apartment industry for more than 25 years between them.

Company managing director Cruise said: --From my own travel searches I saw there was a gap in the market for a travel website for gay and lesbian community worldwide.

--Like everyone else, LGBT travellers want up to date, accurate information about the travel options out there, and also the assurance that they will be welcome in the locations they visit.”

PLANitGAY.com is seeking travel trade association approval as well as joining the Gay Business Association (GBA) and the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA).

by Phil Davies

Monday, January 21, 2008