Gay Travel in Fort Lauderdale

The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) is set to hold its 2011 convention in Fort Lauderdale, bringing 1,200 attendees into the area for four nights. The city beat Philadelphia and Chicago as part of a competitive bidding process. The IGLTA is based in FortLauderdale, which hosted the group's first convention in 2002.

In a press release, Broward County Vice Mayor Ken Keechl, who the bureau described as the highest-ranking elected, openly gay official in Florida, said: "Our county, with vibrant 'gayborhoods' including Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors, has been a top-rated destination within the gay and lesbianc ommunity for more than a decade, and I know that it will be a place that IGLTA attendees will want to return to time and time again."

The bureau said its presentation to IGLTA leaders was themed "Lauderdale Unleashed," signifying the city's emergence as a global gay and lesbian destination.