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Posted - 07/20/2003 : 09:07:52 AM
From ABC7Chicago.com
Big growth in au naturel recreation
Anything you can do, I can do naked
By Buck Wolf - ABCNEWS.com
July 15, 2003 Anything you can do, I can do naked thanks to the fast-growing nudist recreation industry, which is allowing folks to play tennis, Jet Ski, and golf in the raw.
Nude recreation and tourism has grown into a $400 million business, more than doubling in size in the last 10 years, according to travel industry estimates. It now includes several nude cruises, nude flights to Mexico, and clothing-optional condos and luxury resorts in nearly every tourist destination.
"I think Americans are waking up to the peace and serenity that comes with taking off your clothing. For one thing, nobody has a pocket for a cell phone or beeper," says Carolyn Hawkins of the American Association for Nude Recreation, which boasts more than 50,000 members and 260 clubs.
"In a room of naked people, you don't know who's a judge, and who's a secretary. It's really leaving all those distractions that divide people behind."
Sun Bathers Now Nudists
Until 1995, Hawkins' organization was once known as the American Sunbathing Association, but in the last few years nudists have shed the stigma attached to folks who make their privates public.
The AANR even has a government affairs team that lobbies lawmakers for the right to enjoy an allover tan.
If nudism seems a little out of step with these conservative times, it should be noted that the AANR isn't exactly a youth group. About 92 percent of its members are 35 years old or older. Perhaps they're graying baby boomers trying to recapture there free-freaking days at Woodstock.
Not in all cases. "Nudism cuts across party lines," Hawkins says. "We've got plenty of Republicans in our ranks."
Hawkins believes young people tend to be hung up on appearance. Older people are more likely to accept the sagging, flabby imperfections in themselves and others.
But if nudists tend to be older, it doesn't make them less desirable consumers. Even when they don't have pockets for their wallets, nudists tend to have income to dispose of and they're not about to spend their free time in rusty trailer parks.
That's why - -, a top clothing-optional hotel near Tampa, Fla., entertains more than 80,000 guests a year. The 72-acre resort includes 340 luxury condominiums, a hotel, five tennis courts, three heated swimming pools, a health spa, two restaurants, and several boutiques.
More women are embracing nudism, too. Though the AANR is still about 60 percent male, the organization's annual conventions are structured more like family reunions, in scenic locations such as California's Anza-Borrego Desert.
Some of the events from a recent convention: nude fire-walking, a stripped-down soapbox derby, a naked coyote-calling contest and a nude piρata party for the kids.
Here's a look at some of recent developments in nudist recreation. Of course, it's not for everybody, but if you get any vacation ideas, don't forget to pack light.
The Bare Facts on Recreation
Airborne Nudity: You can unfasten a whole lot more than your safety belt when you reach a comfortable cruising altitude on Naked Air.
In May, the inaugural flight of the clothing-optional charter service allowed 90 passengers, paying $499 a seat, to shed their skivvies after boarding in Miami for a flight to Cancun, Mexico.
Castaways Travel in Austin, Texas which booked the service says that it had no problem filling up the 172-seat Boeing 727, but had to leave extra space for film crews documenting the historic flight.
All passengers received a commemorative towel to document their experience and prevent their bare bottom from touching the seat. Additional flights are n |
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Posted - 09/14/2003 : 10:24:22 PM
From the Albuquerque Tribune Online
Tourism buffs know the future is in nudity
By J.D. Bullington
So the Sandoval County sheriff has started arresting people at Spence Hot Springs in the Jemez Mountains for skinny dipping. I hope the Tourism Association of New Mexico is watching.
Nude tourism and recreation is taking off. According to a recent CNN/Money Magazine report, there are now 260 clothing-optional resorts in North America - nearly twice the number of 10 years ago. And according to the American Association for Nude Recreation, or AANR, the growing nude customer base has pushed nudism in the United States to a $400 million annual business. That's up from $120 million a decade ago. Nudism has experienced tremendous growth in the past four years.
The Sandoval County sheriff's new "zero tolerance" policy might be counter to the national trend.
Do I sense a lost opportunity here? The photographs on the AANR Web site show members enjoying a variety of activities, including water volleyball, horseshoes and hot-air ballooning.
Hot-air ballooning? Hmmm, I think we might be onto something. That would spice up the second week in October around here: "Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the first annual Albuquerque International Nude Balloon Fiesta!"
The nudity business is booming. Nude cruises, motorcycle rallies, hiking and camping opportunities are readily abundant these days.
Carnival Cruise Lines now operates nude chartered excursions, and there are six nudist resorts in Pasco County, Florida, alone. The Pasco County Chamber of Commerce holds regular, after-work mixers at the resorts.
Nude charter flights and travel clubs are prolific. Two such clubs in New Mexico are members of the AANR's West Chapter: Roadrunner Naturists of Albuquerque and the Suntree Travel Club in Las Cruces. Phone numbers are listed on the AANR Web site if you're interested.
There are some obvious advantages to flying naked. Airport security would cost less. Checkpoint lines would move very quickly. Metal detectors could be eliminated. Pilots could no longer fly by the seat of their pants. Customers could be offered both ticketless and topless travel, and create their own in-flight entertainment.
My biggest fear would be that overzealous, fundamentalist hijackers could takeover the cockpit and fly the plane to Nome, Alaska.
I'll admit it. I have difficulty relating to this mind-set; but I respect it. Nudity is serious business.
The next AANR board of directors meeting is Nov. 1, at the Shangri La Ranch in Arizona. Where else could you hold a nude board meeting in November? New Mexico perhaps? Why not? We've got the climate for it.
According to AANR, clothing-optional living is about freedom, joy, recreation, self-assurance and body acceptance. It is the most profound way possible to take control of your own life and live without the status symbols, limitations and encumbrances of a social order imposed by others. AANR provides the resources and information to travel, meet new friends, raise your children without prejudice and enjoy life as you might never have thought possible.
There is even a junior AANR chapter whose mission is to train future nudist leaders.
Is this a moral lifestyle? Is it appropriate to have naked children and teenagers playing and socializing together?
Keep an open mind about this growing phenomenon. It could be that what nudists are striving to attain - freedom, self-assurance and the elimination of status symbols, prejudice and class distinction - is by a degree more moral than the life many others live fully clothed.
J.D. Bullington is vice president of government affairs at the Association of Commerce and Industry. |
| calmnude |
Posted - 07/21/2003 : 10:33:48 AM
its about time. and thanks to people like cheri and vera and many other nameless helpers, we are gaining acceptance. thanks, and keep up the great work. |
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