Married To Gay Weddings

25

Gay, married and looking for a luxurious honeymoon? Tom Stanley has just the ticket.

This month, Stanley and his business partner, Laurie Wolfe, launched ChicGayHoneymoons.com, a website targeting newly married gay couples looking for a vetted romantic getaway package to a four- or five-star hotel.

Stanley, former president of luxury travel services Travcoa and Cox & Kings, said he found that gay travelers looking for luxury trips accounted for 15 percent to 20 percent of his clientele, and they faced challenges other travelers did not.

“For example,” he said, “when they check into a hotel, they’d get two beds or they get notes saying ‘Dear Mr. and Mrs.’ They aren’t big things, but they are irritating things for a couple.”

By establishing relationships with various hotels and vacation operators his new Silver Lake-based travel service is trying to take the surprise out of travel for gay couples and ensure they’re treated with the same standards and courtesy as heterosexual couples.

As same-sex marriage gains acceptance in American society – it is now legal in nine states and the District of Columbia – Stanley believes demand will only increase.

ChicGayHoneymoons struck agreements with more than 300 high-end hotels and destinations in gay-friendly locations worldwide, including industry heavy-hitters such as Orient Express Group.

“There’s definitely a lot of affluent gay couples and in the cruise industry, cruises that cater to gay clients are some of the most profitable,” said Alan X. Reay, president of Irvine travel and hotel consultancy Atlas Hospitality Group. “A lot of the hotels and travel companies are really seeing this is a viable market.”

Stanley and Wolfe, who are both gay, have been self-funding the website and plan to expand the business to cover the gay wedding and registry industry this year as well.

– Jacquelyn Ryan