Brendan Vacations has become the first major U.S. tour
operator to create an Ireland product specifically for the LGBT market: trips
for couples who want to take advantage of the Emerald Isle’s recent vote to
legalize same-sex marriage.
“It’s a new step for us,” said Paul Wiseman, president of
Trafalgar and Brendan Vacations. “It’s a substantial change in the way that we
are going to create and market [to the LGBT community]. We’ve done all kinds of
different custom departures over the years. But this isn’t a one-off. This is
now a much broader program that all agents would be able to get access to.”
Brendan is likely the first of many suppliers that will
develop an Ireland wedding product for the LGBT market.
Barely a month after the May 22 plebiscite in which the
people of Ireland voted to legalize same-sex marriage, Brendan has created a
10-day Romantic Ireland itinerary, priced from $5,750 per person.
Brendan worked with LGBT-friendly hotels and suppliers to
create a chauffeur-driven FIT package for agents to sell to same-sex couples.
Among those partnering with Brendan on the new product is
Dan Mullane, owner of the Mustard Seed at Echo Lodge.
“We are so proud the Irish people voted yes for marriage
equality, making us the first country in the world to do so,” Mullane said.
“Nobody blinks an eyelid here. Everyone is equal at the Mustard Seed at Echo
Lodge, where they’ll be greeted by the warm, friendly welcome that Ireland is
known for.”
The Romantic Ireland package begins with two nights in
Dublin at the Merrion Hotel and continues on to one night at the Cliff House
Hotel in County Waterford, two nights at the Malton Hotel in Killarney, a night
at the Mustard Seed and two nights at Ashford Castle before returning to the
Merrion for a final overnight in Dublin. Guests will travel between
destinations in a luxury, private, chauffeur-driven vehicle with free WiFi.
Sightseeing will include Dublin, Glendalough, Blarney
Castle, the Ring of Kerry, Torc Waterfall, the Cliffs of Moher and Strokestown
Park House. Participants also will be offered a chance to cycle along the Wild
Atlantic Way, drink Irish coffee at the Foynes Flying Boat Museum and eat St.
Tola goat cheese on a working farm.
“The bottom line,” Wiseman said, is that “Ireland is a big
bucket-list destination for people, it’s a big volume destination and [the LGBT
market] is a big market.”
He added that when Catherine Reilly, managing director for
Brendan Vacations in Dublin, called Wiseman to ask if he thought that the
general trade community would benefit from a product specifically designed for
the LGBT market, his immediate response was “absolutely.”
“I know a number of agents from all of the consortia that
would immediately be pleased to take this product on and promote it,” Wiseman
said.
The itinerary, which is customizable and is expected to be
the first of several Ireland itineraries that Brendan will develop for the LGBT
market, will be available for booking on June 30 for immediate departures upon
request.
Legislation to amend Ireland’s constitution is still being
developed in the aftermath of the vote, but Tourism Ireland has stated that it
expects the new law guaranteeing the right to same-sex marriage to be ready by the end of July and possibly
implemented by fall.
Until then, there is no way of knowing specifics of the
legislation, including how and whether same-sex marriages performed in Ireland
will be recognized overseas.
Nevertheless, Tourism Ireland already launched a campaign to
promote same-sex weddings and honeymoons in Ireland, and suppliers like Brendan
aren’t waiting either.
At World Travel Market in November, Out Now, an LGBT
marketing solutions provider, valued the global LGBT tourism market at more
than $202 billion annually.
It is not known what portion of that total might derive from
same-sex weddings and honeymoons.