ALL ABOUT YOU — BUSINESS ADVICE
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Chris Oakes has joined Hays Travel Independence Group as national sales manager, responsible for
recruiting new members. Previously he was responsible for new business acquisition and strategic development at Applehouse Travel, was general manager at
businesstaxis.com, and held roles at Traveltek and
holidaytaxis.com.
Railtrail Tours has appointed Rob Carroll as commercial manager. Carroll has 20 years’
industry experience and most recently worked at Great Rail Journeys as product manager.
Belmond has appointed Yann Guezennec as worldwide sales and marketing director for its
trains and river cruises division. He has rejoined the division after three years as director of sales and marketing in Peru, responsible for the company’s five hotels and Belmond Hiram Bingham train. He started at the company in 1992.
Michelle Wharton has joined
London Marriott County Hall as director of sales and marketing. Previously she worked as director of sales and marketing at the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa and the Radisson Blu Resort, Phuket.
As more gay couples choose to walk up the aisle together, it goes without saying there is likely to be a surge in demand for honeymoons for this market. But do you know the best resorts to recommend and are you aware of destinations where same-sex couples need to exercise more caution or discretion, or ones to avoid completely? With the
wedding season fast approaching, as a part of its Know Before You Go campaign, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has partnered with the Gay Wedding Guide to encourage clients to research their intended destinations before booking their honeymoon. Earlier this week, The Gay
Choose the destination with care
SAME-SEX COUPLES
Wedding Guide released some of its recommendations for destinations it considers to be gay-friendly, with Canada and Australia leading the way for adventure holidays, Greece and Mexico for romance and Argentina and Thailand for culture. John Heppenstall, head of consular campaigns at the FCO, urges travel agents to bear the following tips in mind when tasked with finding the best holidays for newly-wed same-sex couples.
Do your research Know before you go
Attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) travellers vary considerably worldwide and can be very different from those in the UK. The internet, gay press, associations, and guide books are all good resources. The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association’s website (
ilga.org) is a good source of information.
36 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 5 June 2014
Encourage clients to do their own research to ensure they know as much as possible before they leave. You can help by emphasising the importance of knowing as much as possible about the destination before they go, and by pointing them in the direction of the
gov.uk page for LGBT travellers for more information.
Advice from John Heppenstall
Head of consular campaigns Foreign & Commonwealth Office
HOW TO SELL TO
Pick a destination that best suits your client’s needs. Ask customers if they want to travel to an “openly” gay destination and what type of experience they want – a remote
romantic break, beach, clubbing and pool holiday, or cultural experience – or a mix of all these. Some resorts can be quite segregated and when you are outside the ‘gay neighbourhood’, expressions of sexuality
may be frowned upon. Some hotels, especially
in rural areas, won’t accept bookings from same- sex couples so check with the company’s policy before you book it for your clients.
Equal treatment
Treat same-sex couples in the same way as you would all your clients, but ensure they are aware of the different treatment they might receive in certain destinations depending on local laws, customs and cultures. This is especially true when it comes to
public displays of affection or using internet chat rooms. Check the LGBT travel advice page on
gov.uk for more information and travel advice (
gov.uk/lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender- foreign-travel-advice).
MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!
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