Mexico City promotes gay-friendly image

Now that the local legislative assembly has voted to permit persons of the same sex to marry, Mexico City plans to promote itself as gay friendly.

Being the only jurisdiction in the country that has legalized homosexual matrimony, it hopes to cash in on a new segment of the wedding business.

Alejandro Rojas, director of the city tourism office, pointed out that homosexuals account for 15 percent of the international travel market, but spend much more than typical tourists do.

Overall goal, said Rojas, is to attract 15 million tourists of all sexual preferences to the capital this year, two million more than in 2009. Most of these visitors, of course, will be from other parts of Mexico, but more efforts will be made to attract international travelers as well.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers