- Title: BRAZIL: Rio voted world's most gay-friendly city.
- Date: 9th November 2009
- Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (FILE) (REUTERS) CHRIST THE REDEEMER STATUE TOP VIEW OF SUGAR LOAF HILLS AVENUES ALONG MARINA DA GLORIA HARBOUR PEOPLE WALKING IN RIO'S HISTORIC DOWNTOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD
- Embargoed: 24th November 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Brazil
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky,Travel / Tourism
- Reuters ID: LVA7H400VU6Y66D4JNULSJXDSVWE
- Story Text: Rio de Janeiro is voted the world's hottest gay tourist destination in a contest organized by MTV and a U.S.-based travel agency, beating cities like London, Barcelona and Buenos Aires.
Rio de Janeiro really seems to have it all. After being awarded the 2016 Olympic Games and elected as the world's happiest city by a Forbes magazine survey, now the Brazilian town has been voted the world's best gay travel destination.
The contest was organized by "Logo" network, a MTV-run channel aimed at the Gay public, through a travel agency website where people could chose between Rio, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, London, Montreal and Sydney.
TripOutGayTravel.com announced the winning city on Monday (November 2) this week, one day after Rio's massive gay pride parade welcomed hundreds of thousands to Copacabana beach.
The website described the tourist city as a good option for visitors who wanted to have fun for less.
Amid a sea of compliments in Rio's profile, the website also warned about crime and violence which are a prominent aspect of the city's daily life.
Rio's travel agents see the award as a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, hoping it could attract an even greater number of homosexual tourists to the city.
A study by Rio's Cidade University this year showed gay visitors spend twice as much money as regular tourists.
Rio's Tourism Secretary, Antonio Pedro Mello, said the bureau had set up a separate team to focus on this high-spending demographic.
"In the same way we work with elder people and with adventure tourism, the LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) tourism is something new for Brazil, even though it is already happening. However, the Tourism Bureau had never developed it (gay tourism). We just started to work on that and now that (Rio) was elected as best global gay destination, the timing couldn't be better. Besides that, there is also the Olympics and the world's happiest city (title), we also won that title," he said.
The neighborhood of Ipanema became known as Rio's gay hub, with a street and a stretch of its beautiful beach almost entirely reserved for homosexuals.
On weekends, gays pack the busy bars and restaurants on Farme de Amoedo street and many times are forced to enjoy their cold beer on the sidewalk. But during Carnival, when the street closes for cars, simply walking through the street can become a mission.
Travel agent Eduardo Lima, who works with gay tourism, said his clients like Rio because they feel accepted and relaxed.
"They (Rio residents) welcome everyone. And gays, just like any other tourists, feel comfortable in Rio de Janeiro. What gays want most is to feel comfortable and here in Ipanema, the center of gay tourism, they can walk holding hands, kiss and lie on the beach comfortably. So they feel at home," he said.
Eduardo Breis, a Spaniard who lives with his Brazilian boyfriend in Rio, said the city was perfect for the gay community.
"I think there is a good reception of gay people here, the night clubs are very good, some new clubs also opened recently, the beach, this beach area here (Farme de Amoedo street), I think this is very nice. I live here and I wish I could live here forever," he said, while enjoying a sunny day on Ipanema beach.
The gay circuit in Brazil also includes a stop in business capital Sao Paulo, where every year millions dance down the city's main avenue in what has been considered the world's largest gay pride parade.
Research consultants Insearch last year said gays in Brazil were above-average earners and spent more on leisure, but Fecomercio says 40 percent of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgenders still suffer discrimination as consumers.
According to a study by the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, gays in the U.S. travel an average 29 days per year and spent some $65 million in 2007. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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