The deal gives London-based QSoft Consulting (operators of the international Gaydar brand affiliates), the owners of Gaydar.com.au and Gaydargirls.com, the two biggest gay and lesbian dating sites in Australia, presentation rights to the Sydney gay and lesbian mardi gras season.
Announcing the deal, Henry Badenhorst, Managing Director of QSoft Consulting, said: "The Sydney gay and lesbian mardi gras is an established global brand which helps define Australia and significantly raises the profile of Sydney, year in year out. This event is all about connecting people and so our Gaydar global network of market-leading brands is a perfect fit... to be able to give something worthwhile back to the Australian community makes this deal even more significant."
Gaydar.co.za has more than 60,000 locally registered users and a total of 3.2 million worldwide, putting the site launched in 1999 by South African entrepreneurs Gary Frisch and Henry Badenhorst in first position in South Africa, the UK, Europe and Australia.
Marcus Bourget, Chair of New Mardi Gras, said: "We are very excited to be able to announce our partnership with gaydar.com.au. This partnership will allow New Mardi Gras to continue to invest in, and grow, our world famous celebrations and events, while helping to secure the financial future of the Sydney gay and lesbian mardi gras."
The Sydney mardi gras season, a four-week festival celebrating gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender culture, will be held from 3 February until 4 March 2006, when the world's largest event of its kind attracts and involves more than 750,000 people.
A recent report commissioned by New Mardi Gras and undertaken by Prof. Ian Marsh and Dr. Sean Wilson put the contribution to the Australian economy by visitors to the 2005 event at AU$46 million, not including Sydneysiders.
The mardi gras parade features more than 120 entrants and traditionally attracts approximately 450,000 spectators, followed by an after-party with 17,000 people partying well into the early hours.
