We have the pleasure of living in the capital of the Cote d'Azur with the official label:

“Nice Irisée Naturellement”

thanks to the initiative and the drive of the Nice Office of Tourism and Nice Congress. 

The spirit of Villa Saint Exupéry is based on respect and tolerance, and we are proud to be “Gay Friendly” and welcome all LGBT tourists. Today Villa Saint Exupéry is a member of IGLTA* and is in the process of obtaining the label “Gay Comfort”. 

Villa Saint Exupéry wishes everyone a warm welcome. 

* International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association, the leading global organization dedicated to LGBT tourism. 

Link (French): Nice "rainbow" opens tourism gay

Who are IGLTA - LGBT - Comfort Gay - Gay Friendly ?

LGBT 

LGBT (or GLBT) is the abbreviation for "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered People" . 

This is a more inclusive term than homosexual because it encompasses a large group of institutions, organizations and individuals who are very diverse, but who work toward a common goal. 

Each letter of the acronym is used to refer to a group and the cultural community that surrounds it. The term "community" does not simply refer to a "a group with a similar social life” but rather "a group of individuals undergoing similar social pressure."

IGLTA 

IGLTA is an international association of gay and lesbian travel. 

Founded in 1983 in Florida by owners of gay-friendly cottages, the goal of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) is to promote gay tourism worldwide. "The image of the LGBT community was different then," explains Clark Massad, Ambassador of the European Association present at the International Tourism. "To move forward, it was important to work at the heart of economic power and this inevitably passed by the tourism sector." 

While the original purpose of the association was to bring together professionals in the tourism industry, the focus of IGLTA is increasingly turning to consumers. It now has 2,000 members in 85 countries, mainly travel agencies, hotels, tourist offices and airlines. "The IGLTA works like a label," says Clark Massad. "There is a code of conduct for all members". 

Gay Comfort 

Nice recently became the first French city to receive international label "Gay Comfort." 

Capital of the Cote d'Azur, Nice is one of the most gay-friendly cities in France. "Nice is the second largest tourist attraction in France after Paris. It is an attractive and luxurious location that appeals to many in the gay community," explains Olga Teixeira from myGayTrip.com, who is in charge of reception and communication for the Nice Office of Tourism and was present at the show. 

From hotels to cafes, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and saunas ... Nice is full of gay-friendly establishments. The gay community has even taken up residence in the port district, "which is becoming a mini-Marais," said Olga Teixeira. 

Increasing, gay clientele is a very important segment of the market on the Cote d'Azur and Nice seems to understand this. A few days ago, the Tourism Office and Nice Congress (NCVB) invited 70 hotels in the city to a sensitivity seminar. The goal? Improve the care of gay and lesbian and to best meet their expectations. In the words of Denis Zanon, director of the NCVB, to "identify their needs while avoiding blunders". 

Gay friendly 

Hotels, bars and restaurants that have trained their staff will soon grant the charter "Nice irisée naturallement," established by the Tourism Nice to certify that the establishments are gay friendly. This effort towards the LGBT community has already earned the city the label "Gay Comfort" awarded by the agency Out Now, a gay marketing specialist, with the support of the association IGLTA. Nice becomes the first city in France to receive this label. 

"Nice Irisée Naturellement"

Aware of its attraction to the gay community, Nice has recently opened a charter of quality, dedicated: " Nice irisée naturellement ". The goal: Awareness among tourism professionals of the special needs of LGBT clientele. "Those in the LGBT community have a higher purchasing power than the average, much of which is dedicated to travel," said Olga Teixeira. "The potential for this segment of the population is strong." So strong that Nice, a holiday hot-spot that is recognized worldwide, has decided to be a part of LGBT tourism. 

Source: www.mygaytrip.com