Argentina, the first Latin American
country to legalize gay marriage, is becoming a popular tourist
destination for gay travelers.
More than 3,500 gay nuptials have taken
place in Argentina over the past 18 months. The country is now a top
5 destination for LGBT tourists.
Buenos Aires, in particular, has
welcomed the gay tourist boom.
According to the Argentina Gay and
Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, gay tourists spend twice as much money
as straight people and travel more frequently.
“The reason is quite simple,” Pablo
de Luca, president of the Argentina Gay and Lesbian Chamber of
Commerce, recently told the AFP. “My sister, for example, has two
children. She has to make sure they receive a good education, have
good doctors, are well dressed and everything else involved in
raising a family. Gay couples have two salaries coming in and
they're able to spend their money on other things. It's that
simple.”
Despite the marriage law, anti-gay
sentiment remains, said one married couple.
“This is just a small step,” said
Alejandro Luna. “You still see discrimination here.”
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