An almost universal decision by glbt tourists from Auckland to spend a few Christmas days in Australia en route to Phuket holidays has spared them from the Asian tsunami disaster. Ponsonby travel agent Wayne Leigh, whose Harvey World travel has long drawn much of its clientele from the gay community and specialises in travel to Phuket, Bali and nearby Asian beach resorts, says a "large number" of gay Aucklanders were heading towards Phuket, popular because of its attractive gay beach area and numerous gay bars, when the tsunami caused devastation across south Asia, including Phuket and the nearby Thai resorts. "It's a regular pattern at Christmas for our travellers to stop over in Australia to see family, friends or do the clubs before arriving in Thailand a day or so later," he says. Most Phuket-bound travellers were able to quickly be re-routed to other Asian destinations after the Boxing Day disaster and Harvey says Vietnam has been a popular alternative choice. "We're fairly sure now that none of our NZ gay travellers was caught up in the tragedy," says Leigh who expresses concern for the many residents and businesspeople who have welcomed glbt tourists from around the world for many years.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Thursday, 6th January 2005 - 12:00pm