The tourist boards of most Latin American countries don’t include the gay and lesbian market in their tourism marketing strategies. But that’s not the case with Embratur, Brazil’s official tourism organization.

Southwest Airlines and Visit Florida, the state’s tourism-marketing organization, have partnered to promote travel to the state.

Sceptre Tours, a 27-year old Ireland and Scotland specialist, is expanding into Italy. Starting this month, Sceptre is offering a lineup of land-only packages, ranging from a six-night Rome and Florence vacation (from $899 per person) to a 12-night Italy Mosaic package (from $2,599 per person).

In partnership with UNWTO- ST-EP Program, the PATA Foundation will add its funding to help transform Lao’s Viengxay Story in Houaphanh into a tourist attraction, whereby local community can further benefit from the development.

St. Lucie County in the U.S. state of Florida hopes a partnership with the Bahamas will draw tourists to what a new county campaign calls the “Jewel of the Treasure Coast.”

The National Tour Association (NTA) said it is encouraged by Senator Barack Obama’s comments to the Orlando Sentinel that he is open to travel marketing if it can be demonstratively proven that it produces measurable results. NTA has been a consistent advocate of increasing travel to the U.S. from abroad.