With less than a week before gay
marriage becomes legal in New York, the Empire State has launched a
campaigned aimed at increasing tourism dollars from the wedding
celebrations of gay and lesbian couples.
The
Save the Date campaign helps couples plan a wedding and honeymoon
in destinations such as Niagara Falls or New York City.
The campaign by ILOVENY.COM aims to
“establish New York as a premiere destination location for same-sex
weddings.”
A gay marriage bill approved last month
by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo takes
effect on July 24, a Sunday. Several New York towns and cities,
including New York City, have announced they'll open on Sunday to
accommodate the law's start.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg
has already launched the
NYC I Do campaign to sell New York City as the premiere
destination for gay couples tying the knot.
The websites of both campaigns include
a Q&A about the new law and highlight wedding packages offered by
various hotels and resorts.
According to one report, an estimated
66,309 couples will marry in New York over the next three years,
nearly 70% of whom are expected to be tourists.