Mexico City Opens Office to Woo LGBT Honeymooners

A while back I noted how Mexico City, Mexico planned to woo same sex honeymooners following the legalization of gay marriage in the Mexican capital. Now, the city has formally opened the new gay tourism office. CNN has coverage of this step in a country which despite severe crime problems and poverty is out stripping the United States in terms of marriage equality. I find it nothing short of humiliating that the USA is increasingly shown to be a fraud when it comes to equality and freedom of religion for all of its citizens. Here in Virginia and under federal laws such as DOMA and DADT the religious dogma of Christianists has been made the defacto state and national religion. Here are highlights from CNN:
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Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- As more governments approve same-sex marriage laws, officials here are hoping to attract a growing part of the tourism market: gay honeymoons.
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The first couple to wed under Argentina's recent law allowing same-sex marriages nationwide arrives in Mexico this week on an all-expenses-paid trip -- part of a new push by the government in Mexico City, Mexico to woo gay travelers. "We hope that many same-sex couples who get married around the world spend their honeymoons here," says Alejandro Rojas, the city's tourism secretary.
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In July, the city opened an office aimed at catering to gay tourists that officials describe as the first of its kind in Latin America. "We are a very tolerant, liberal, avant-garde city," Rojas says. Officials inaugurated the new office by cutting a rainbow-colored ribbon. Rojas said the office's goal is to make Mexico City the No. 1 gay-friendly destination in Latin America.
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For years, it was rare to see gay rights issues gaining traction in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Not anymore, according to Javier Corrales, a professor of political science at Amherst College in Massachusetts. "Latin America currently has some of the most gay-friendly cities in the developing world," says Corrales, who ranks cities' gay-friendliness in a new book he co-edited, "The Politics of Sexuality in Latin America."
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In addition to training local hotels and restaurants on how to be sensitive to gay clientele, officials say they hope to create maps of the city highlighting attractions for gay tourists and possibly host an international gay tourism conference. Hotels, restaurants and businesses in Mexico City have responded positively to the program so far, Rojas said.
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Gay tourists represent 15 percent of the world's tourism market, and they spend more money than heterosexual tourists when they travel, he says. Recognizing the commercial value of gay tourism is a positive step, Navarro says, but it also shows that more social change is needed. "I hope that there comes a day in the future when they don't have to have an office for gay tourists, just like there isn't an office for Asian tourists," Navarro says.
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Meanwhile, southeastern Virginia continues to keep its head stuck in the sand and kisses the ass of folks like Pat Robertson and his fellow theocrats. Ditto for the religious extremists who currently occupy the Virginia governor's mansion and office of attorney general.