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Big news in the Gay Travel industry today; Atlantis Events, Inc., announced today that it will acquire RSVP Vacations from PlanetOut Inc.. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close on or about October 24, 2007.

According to PlanetOut, The sale will not affect RSVP’s scheduled itinerary, nor will it affect current passenger bookings.

RSVP will keep its office in Minneapolis, the longtime home of RSVP Vacations. The company will continue to market its vacations through a network of more than 7,500 of travel agencies worldwide, as well as through direct sales.

Atlantis charters entire cruise ships and all-inclusive resorts for the exclusive use of its gay and lesbian guests. In 2007, Atlantis has hosted approximately 20,000 guests on 11 different events. Established in 1985, RSVP Vacations was the originator of the gay and lesbian cruise concept. Destinations in 2007 have included the Caribbean, Barbados, the Mediterranean, Central Europe, and an historic trans-Atlantis crossing on the Queen Mary 2.

“We’re thrilled to bring Atlantis and RSVP together into the same family for the first time,” said Rich Campbell, chief executive officer of Atlantis. “The two companies are stronger together than they are apart, and taken together demonstrate the strength and vitality of the gay travel market.”

“This move is a great step forward for guests of both RSVP and Atlantis, who will now benefit from the largest and most diverse collection of all-gay vacations in the world,” Campbell said.

The company plans to grow and build RSVP, while maintaining it as a separate and distinct brand from Atlantis. RSVP will stay true to its heritage of providing high quality gay vacations that emphasize community, personal growth, learning and cultural experiences.

“We are extremely pleased that RSVP will become part of the Atlantis family,” said Karen Magee, chief executive officer, PlanetOut Inc. “Preserving RSVP’s distinct brand will enable Atlantis to expand the audience it serves by taking advantage of RSVP’s unique positioning within the LGBT community. We believe this combination will be a real positive for RSVP’s customers and business partners. It really is a perfect match and we’re looking forward to expanding and extending our marketing relationship with Atlantis.”

“From a corporate perspective, we believe this transaction demonstrates to our shareholders that we are continuing to deliver on our commitment to leverage our strengths by simplifying our business model and emphasizing our core competencies,” added Magee. “We are focused on ensuring that we are in the best position to realize our full potential as the leading media and entertainment company exclusively serving the LGBT market, while also strengthening our balance sheet.”

RSVP will operate all of its scheduled programs in 2008 — including its Exotic Caribbean cruise in February, its Barbados Bliss cruise in March, and its Tahitian Treasure cruise in November. The company also plans to announce new vacations and destinations in the very near future.