Orbitz Tours the U.S. with Todrick Hall and Lance Bass During LGBTQ History Month

CHICAGO, Oct. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- October marks the 15^th anniversary of LGBTQ History month, but with travel upended and many Pride events canceled or forced to go virtual this year due to COVID-19, leading travel provider Orbitz® is partnering with LGBTQIA celebrities and influencers, including *NSYNC's Lance Bass and RuPaul's Drag Race choreographer and judge Todrick Hall, to take travelers on virtual tours of their favorite queer-friendly businesses, landmarks and cities.

Beginning today on Orbitz.com/Pride – an online destination featuring thousands of hotels committed to non-discrimination and openly welcoming LGBTQIA travelers – visitors can explore personalized travel itineraries from seven well-known gay, transgender and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) influencers in destinations across the U.S. Each tour features points of interest and personal stories from New York City, Austin, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Miami explaining why each LGBTQIA destination made their must-visit list.

"The pandemic has impacted so many parts of our daily lives, including the travel industry and the destinations and small businesses that rely on it," says Carey Malloy, Brand and Marketing Director at Orbitz. "While many of us are still at home right now, we wanted to find a way to celebrate the places that bring joy and meaning to so many in the LGBTQIA community."

Followers of @Orbitz on Instagram can tune into free virtual tours of each city, led by the featured influencers. New stories will be added and highlighted throughout the month using the hashtag #HappyPlace, and include new and well-known points of interest such as:

Todrick Hall (@Todrick): Pink Dolphin Monument – Galveston Island, TX
"Pink Dolphin Monument is a public monument in R.A. Apffel Park/East Beach on Galveston Island. The monument is dedicated to celebrating gender and sexual minority communities. It's like the golden bridge in SF. You have to get a photo or were you even there?!" 

Matt & Beau (@probablythis): Royal Street Art Galleries – New Orleans, LA
"Right in the heart of the French Quarter, Royal Street is lined with gorgeous homes and art galleries featuring art by local artists. Three of our favorite galleries to browse through are Funeral Gallery by doll-maker and drag queen Vinsantos, Harouni Gallery with its moody portraits, and Antieau Gallery which features quirky and irreverent tapestries." 

Lance Bass (@LanceBass): Rocco's WeHo – West Hollywood, CA 
"Rocco's WeHo is the newest and most popular edition to the neighborhood. What I love about it is the most inclusive bar and restaurant on the planet!"

Gabi & Shanna (@27Travels): Bluestockings – New York, NY
"Bluestockings is an inclusive bookstore, cafe, and activist center. They carry over 6,000 books in topics like feminism, queer history, gender studies, and more. Another cool thing about Bluestocking is that they are 100% run by volunteers! They are in the process of moving locations right now but will be in their new location on Suffolk Street shortly!" 

Fans are encouraged to share their #HappyPlace with the world for a chance to be featured on Orbitz's account. Additionally, in honor of customers who refer a friend to book future travel on Orbitz during the month of October, Orbitz is donating $5,000 to support The Trevor Project's life-saving work.¹

"There's something really uplifting in sharing your 'happy place' with the world and reminding us all what's at stake this year – now more than ever," says Malloy. "Despite these unsettling times, Orbitz remains committed to finding new ways to celebrate this community, during LGBTQ History month and throughout the year." 

For a complete list of participating influencers and to view their hometown itineraries, visit Orbitz.com/Pride.

About Orbitz
For more than 20 years, Orbitz has been a trusted friend to the LGBTQIA community. Since launching the first LGBTQ-themed travel ad and dedicated microsite – gayorbitz.com – in the early 2000s, we've been committed to making travel more inclusive. At Orbitz.com/Pride, travelers can book LGBTQIA-welcoming hotels that have signed our pledge of inclusivity, plan their next vacation, and earn free travel rewards instantly through the award-winning Orbitz Rewards loyalty program. With Orbitz Rewards, travelers instantly earn Orbucks on bookings which can be redeemed on 385,000+ hotels worldwide. Members also receive hotel perks and travel benefits the more they book, and earn up to 10 percent back with the Orbitz Reward Visa® Card.  See Terms and Conditions. 

© 2020 Orbitz, LLC, An Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Orbitz, Orbitz.com, and the Orbitz logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Orbitz, LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. CST #2063530-50

¹ See www.Orbitz.com/refer for Refer a Friend terms and conditions.

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