FEATURE/Gay Friendly France Brochure Invites Gays and Lesbians to Discover the Romance of France.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--Sept. 1, 1999--

For the first time ever, the French Government Tourist Office has published a gay friendly travel planner, "Gay Friendly France: Liberte, Egalite, Diversite" available to the general public free of charge. The four-color 24-page publication is an invitation to American gays and lesbians to experience Paris and the provinces of France with their particular interests and sensibilities in mind, providing them with gay-specific information and travel tips, written with gay humor and style.

The creation of this publication is part of a new marketing strategy by the French Government Tourist Office geared specifically toward this clientele, including a gay advertising campaign, sponsorships of gay events (such as Outfest, the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival), travel agent seminars and familiarization trips.

Heading the campaign is Jacques Caradec, West Coast Director, F.G.T.O. and thirty-year veteran of the tourism industry. "The gay and lesbian market is a niche that France cannot afford to ignore because of its economic importance. As a matter of fact, France possesses all the ingredients American gays and lesbians look for to enrich their lifestyles," says Caradec.

Starting with "Outrageously Fabulous Paris," the guide features five sections: "Out to Eat: Cuisine and Wines," "Outlandish Style in the South of France," "Outstanding Fun in the Provinces," and "Practical and Pink," a listing of addresses, websites, organizations, and activities of interest to gays and lesbians. Also included are a series of past and present biographical sketches of famous gay trendsetters, artists, authors and athletes, whose lives and work flowered in France, thanks to its reputation for tolerance and sensibility towards gays and lesbians. Jean Cocteau, Jean Genet, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, and countless other writers and artists lived openly gay lives in France back when such a life elsewhere meant at minimum concealment and alienation.

The guide is illustrated with photos of same-sex couples enjoying the cities, the French countryside, regional gourmet specialties, Gay Pride celebrations, museums and monuments, marketplaces, outdoor cafes, sports activities and the beaches of France.

The free "Gay Friendly France" guide is available at the F.G.T.O. offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, or by writing to "Gay Friendly France" c/o French Government Tourist Office, P.O. Box 386, Bohemia, N.Y. 11716 or by calling the France-on-Call public information hotline at 410/286-8310. Information and brochures may also be requested by E-mail at [e-mail].