New county guide launched

Sullivan is ‘Out & About’

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — A member of the New York Assembly was on hand for the launch of a new Sullivan County tourism guide targeted to the gay and lesbian communities.

Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, who in 2003 became the second openly gay member of the assembly and who serves on that body’s Tourism Arts and Sports Development Committee, joined members of the Sullivan County Visitors Association (SCVA) at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City on April 6 to help launch the publication called “Out & About.”

According to a press release from SCVA, the publication is “a travel guide designed for gay and lesbian travel to the Sullivan County Catskills.” It was developed through a state grant.

“This guide is the culmination of a year’s work between SCVA staff and member businesses who recognized the need that existed within the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) market for a travel tool such as this,” said Roberta Byron-Lockwood, SCVA President and CEO.

She added, “The SCVA has been marketing to the gay and lesbian traveler for several years, and as a result has seen a dramatic increase in visitation to the county as well as increases in property sales to second-home owners.”

Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell was joined in the launch by Don Tuthill, editor of Passport Magazine, which is billed as the “The insider’s guide to gay travel.”

Television actor Richard Belzer, who can be seen on the Law and Order series, also dropped by the launch event, which was held as part of the GLBT travel convention.

In other SCVA developments, the organization has completed its move out of the government center and into headquarters at 100 Sullivan Avenue, Suite 2, in Ferndale. The association’s members and the general public are invited to stop in to view the new surroundings and to peruse the new brochure room where member brochures are on display.

For more information, visit the SCVA website at www.scva.net or call 845/747-4449.