New Gay Travel Guide

Gay Travel to Europe is more affordable than ever with airberlin

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:02:54 GMT

EUROPE! Great Deals with AirBerlin.

TODAY, airberlin, Germany’s second largest airline, will launch a fare sale that is too good to resist. Fares offered start as low as $729* including all taxes and surcharges for travel for example from New York to some of Europe’s most fascinating destinations like Krakow or Warsaw, Poland.

The sale kicks off on May 22^nd and runs through June 4^th. In this period airberlin offers sale fares not only from New York but also from its other US gateways such as Chicago to Copenhagen from $799*, Miami to Zurich from $859* and Los Angeles to Vienna from $849*. Other destinations featured in the sale include Barcelona, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Milan and Rome. From the airberlin gateways New York, Chicago and Miami the fares are valid for travel from August 16^th, 2013 through December 13th, 2013 and from Los Angeles from August 16^th through October 29^th, 2013.

In addition to airberlin’s great fares guests will also enjoy newly refurbished economy and business class cabins featuring on-demand entertainment systems, complimentary beverage service throughout the entire flight and superior culinary selections.

To book visit airberlin.com, contact the call center at 1-866-266-5588 or your travel agent.

*Fares quoted are samples fares based on round trip travel and prices vary depending on dates of travel and final destinations. Additional service charges apply such as booking through the call center or online. Fares are based on limited availability.

airberlin is one of Europe’s leading airlines and flies to 150 destinations in 40 countries. The second largest airline in Germany carried more than 33 million passengers in 2012. airberlin offers a global route network through its strategic partnership with Etihad Airways, which is a 29.21 per cent stakeholder, and membership in the oneworld airline alliance. The airline with the award-winning service operates codeshare flights worldwide with 14 airlines. The fleet has an average age of five years and is among the most modern and eco-efficient in Europe.

Summer in Chicago - Great Hotels in Boystown

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:17:05 GMT

Spring was quick in Chicago! Now summer is about here!

The Cubs are back and the beaches are set to officially open this weekend.

Chicago in summer is a sight to behold -- the parks are lush, Lake Michigan glimmers in the hot sun, boats in every marina and the streets bustle with tourists and locals enjoying the warm weather and weekends of street festivals.

Gay pride in Chicago expands to 2 WEEKENDS this year.

PRIDE FEST is 2 full days this year June 22-23

Pride Fest features musical entertainment on two stages, food and drink and more than 60 vendors offering fine arts, crafts, world market goods and merchandise tailored to the gay community.

The event is hosted by the Northalsted Business Alliance, which also sponsors the world-famous Northalsted Market Days in August.

Then on June 29th is PROUD TO RUN followed by an afternoon Beach Party.

Proud To Run is a 10K run and 5K run and walk that celebrates Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex/Inquiring, & Allies (LGBTQI&A) pride.

To wrap it all is the famous Chicago Gay Pride Parade June 30th. It starts at noon at Broadway & Montrose. And then heads south. Last year over 750,000 people! Details online.

Come to Chicago this summer!

GET A ROOM NOW!

Use CODE BGC When Booking!

CITY SUITES HOTEL

THE WILLOWS

MAJESTIC HOTEL

Amazing Outdoor Dining Spots Around The World

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:40:52 GMT

I love outdoor dining! And when to travel to new places, it's so exciting to dine on a rooftop or other spectacular setting. It's Magical!

what about those truly magnificent destination spots that involve eating on the side of a cliff or dining while suspended 180 ft. in the air?

Check out 10 spots for spectacular outdoor dining around the world.

Brazil Pushes for Gay Marriage Across Their Nation

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:57:00 GMT

BRAZIL welcomes Gay Marriage! The authorities in Brazil have ruled that marriage licences should not be denied to same-sex couples.
The National Council of Justice, which oversees the Brazilian judicial system and is headed by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, said government offices that issue marriage licenses had no standing to reject gay couples.

The Supreme Court "affirmed that the expression of homosexuality and homosexual affection cannot serve as a basis for discriminatory treatment, which has no support in the Constitution," said Chief Justice Joaquim Barbosa on the council's website, referring to a 2011 ruling by the top court.

Barbosa also said there was no reason for the government's marriage licensing offices to wait for the Brazilian Congress to pass a law authorising same-sex marriage.

The council that oversees the country's judiciary said it was wrong for some offices just to issue civil union documents when the couple wanted full marriage certificates.

Correspondents say the decision in effect authorises gay marriage.

However full legalization depends on approval of a bill being examined by the Congress.

Tuesday's resolution by Brazil's National Council of Justice was based on a 2011 Supreme Court ruling that recognised same-sex civil unions.

Gay Hate Crimes on the Rise in Paris France

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:47:44 GMT

Gay Travel Warning - Paris may be the city of love - but not gay love. Even though France recently signed a bill for Marriage Equality - gay hate crimes and hate speech are on the rise.

How does someone have that much hate - to inflict pain - or death - to another human being? Why can't people just let people be?

Assaults on members of the gay community and incidents of homophobic hate speech have risen sharply in France over the last year, according to the annual report by a leading gay rights group, released on Tuesday.

Attacks on gay women and men and homophobic speech spiked last year in the run-up to the French parliament's approval of a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt children, said a leading gay rights watchdog on Tuesday.

In its annual report, SOS Homophobie said it recorded 1,977 calls on its helpline in 2012, a 27 percent increase over the previous year.

The group's head, Elisabeth Ronzier, said the last few months of 2012 and the start of this year were "intense," with hate speech increasing sharply, especially on the Internet.

She said incidents had doubled in October and November when compared to the previous year, and tripled in December. Read more.

Being Gay and Gay Travel in Costa Rica

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Fri, 10 May 2013 17:04:06 GMT

GAY TRAVEL to Costa Rica has dramatically increased over the last 10 years. However, it's NOT in the top 10 gay friendly places to visit!

While certain politicians, such as former president Óscar Arias, have expressed some support for LGBT-rights, Costa Ricans tend to be socially conservative when it comes to sexual orientation and gender identity issues, in large part due to the strong influences of the Roman Catholic Church and cultural traditions about machismo.

Gay friendly? Gay tolerant? Is their really such a thing as GAY Costa Rica, and are the Ticos really THAT accepting of the gay traveler. The answer is "YES," but with a few caveats. First, the Tourism Board here understood a long time ago, that GAY people have plenty of cash to spend, and after all, 'Green' is 'Green' no matter who's spending it. Costa Rica doesn't CARE if you're GAY, but they damn sure don't want to see GAY. Don't Ask, don't tell, don't hold hands. Don't act GAY! They do not want to see it! So, here's a take on traveling Costa Rica as a gay person or couple and what you may or may not be able to get away with. Check out our video on Gay Travel in Costa Rica .

The CostaRican Times did a great article about BEING GAY IN COSTA RICA.

Whale Watching in Maui Hawaii

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:55:46 GMT

WHALE OF A SEASON!

It doesn't take much for most people to recognize that Hawai'i is a special place. But did you know that Hawai'i is home to what is believed to be the largest seasonal population of humpback whales anywhere in the world?

Each winter, from November to May, visitors, residents, and ocean users in Hawai'i share the ocean with thousands of humpbacks that migrate thousands of miles from their northern feeding grounds to the warm, shallow waters of the Hawaiian Islands where they mate, calve, and nurse their young. For this reason the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (sanctuary) was designated to protect humpback whales and their habitat in Hawai'i.

The population of humpback whales (central North Pacific stock) that uses Hawai'i's waters as their principle wintering ground likely lies between 10,000 and 15,000 animals, although not all of these animals are in Hawai'i at the same time during the season. The lower number represents a population estimate determined by a comprehensive research effort done between 2004 and 2006. The upper number represents a conservative approximation of growth based on annual rate of increase determined in 2006 and observation of other population indicators indicating that the population is likely still increasing.

During whale season it is commonplace to see humpback whales resting near shore as well as performing acrobatic displays that can be seen from miles away. On one recent peak season day, researchers observed twenty different mother calf pairs just in Maalaea Bay (the Maui Sunseeker is located on the coast of this Bay).

There is no doubt that Hawai'i offers some of the most unique whale watching in the world and that has led whale watching to become very popular among both visitors and residents alike. There is nothing like experiencing the breaches and tail slapping of humpback whales whether from boat or shore, and, although populations seem to still be increasing the whales still need our help! They are threatened by injuries caused by collisions with vessels and by entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris.

This season, four whales have been reported and confirmed entangled and at least ten whales were confirmed to have been involved in a collision with some type of vessel.

On Monday, March 11, 2013, the sanctuary led a response effort to free an entangled male humpback whale and the animal was successfully disentangled in waters surrounding Maui. The entanglement involved several wraps of small gauge line around the animal's tail, which was already cutting into the animal, making the entanglement life threatening. In total, over 200 feet of line, and 2 buoys were recovered from the entangled animal that swam off quickly once cut free. After some investigation the animal appears to have been entangled in local fishing gear.

The objective of the rescue program is not just to free animals but to also gain information to reduce the future threat of entanglement.

You can help support this work and other work of the sanctuary by donating to the Hawai'i National Marine Sanctuary Foundation or by supporting the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation's Kohola Campaign.

http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/

http://hawaiinmsf.org

http://www.nmsfocean.org

Enjoy the whales and help protect them for future generations!

Christine Brammer, Communications Coordinator

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary was designated by Congress in 1992 to ensure the protection of humpback whales and their habitat in Hawai'i.

The sanctuary is managed jointly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the State of Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources. The sanctuary focuses their management efforts focus on education, outreach, research, and resource protection.

Visit us in person at:

Humpback Whale Sanctuary

Kihei, HI 96753

1.800.831.4888

SPONSORED BY : MAUI SUNSEEKER LGBT RESORT

At the Maui Sunseeker we've taken every opportunity to make our studios, rooms and suites especially inviting and comfortable. Our private lanais with either garden or ocean views welcome you with true Hawaiian spirit.

MAUI SUNSEEKER.

Luxury casinos of the world

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:38:45 GMT

Luxury casinos can be found in many world cities across the globe. In fact, some of these casinos are often located in places that one may not expect to find a casino. Therefore, when considering a vacation involving casino gambling, many travelers are surprised to find that certain cities offer the gaming they love while providing them with a unique geographic area of the world to visit.

Russia is one country that doesn’t quickly come to mind when thinking about casino gaming. However, one of the world’s top luxury casinos is actually located within the capital city of Moscow. The Casino Metropolis is an elegant casino that also comes with a comparable hotel. When visiting the Casino Metropolis visitors will be pleased at its excellent location. Other points of interest can easily be accessed from the casino including historic Red Square which can be reached by foot. Popular casino games such as poker, roulette and blackjack can be found here.

Germany is another part of the world often not known for gambling. Although if looking for a luxury casino, it should be a consideration for a holiday. Nestled in the Black Forest is the opulent Baden-Baden Casino. Opening in the early 1800’s, the casino has a long history of operating. Its décor pays homage to Versailles, the lavish French Royal Palace.

The Baden-Baden Casino offers a hard to find variation of roulette known as French Roulette. Typically one would find American and European Roulette in casinos. French Roulette uses the same roulette wheel as the European version of the casino game you can find in any mobile casino. The major difference with
French roulette is that it comes with certain rules that added advantages to the player. For instance, one of these is la partage which means if the winning number is a zero, anyone with an even money bet would only lose half of their wager.

Tokyo Japan Holds First Gay Pride Rainbow Week

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:29:21 GMT

Thousands of people joined a parade Sunday to kick off “Tokyo Rainbow Week,” a series of events aimed at supporting sexual minorities.

Organizers said about 12,000 people took part in the inaugural parade, which has been held for several years around the Harajuku district as a gay pride event. The week of special events runs until May 6.

“This is our first attempt to link up with many groups” of sexual minorities, said one of the organizers, Hiroko Masuhara, 35. “The parade is a symbolic event in the Tokyo Rainbow Week program.”

Several corporations were at the event, including Barclays, Goldman Sachs, Google, IBM, Phillips, and UBS.

Kenji, from IBM, joined the parade and told us: 'IBM would like to improve the environment and the workplace for people who are LGBT.'

Kentaro, co-head of the Goldman Sachs LGBT Network in Japan, was also at the event.: 'We are here not just for our employees, but for the gay community to help their visibility.

'We want to make a difference to people who don’t really know what LGBT is.'

Gay Travel in Brazil Valued at $23 BILLION

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:05:00 GMT

We have written about the many gems of South America plenty of times before. (As well as the travel safety warnings).

With cities such as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo ranking in the top 20 global destinations for LGBT travellers during 2013, South America Gay Tourism is a BILLION $$$ Industry. By some estimates, about 23 billion.

(DID YOU KNOW, Sao Paula has the biggest gay pride in the world?)

All this new research and data - undertaken by the world's leading LGBT consulting firm Out Now Global http://www.OutNowConsulting.com - reveals for the first time that the value of Brazil’s own LGBT tourism market is USD$22.9 billion dollars. This figure is a significant percentage of the total annual global value of (LGBT) leisure travel spending, which is on course to reach a record USD$181 billion during 2013.

The new report gives the clearest-ever picture of the immense scale and potential of Brazil’s LGBT tourism market.

With a per-capita annual travel spend of $2,583 Brazil’s nearly nine million LBGT people represent a large opportunity for companies and destinations willing to show their commitment to this market through appropriate staff training, effective tailored communications and the delivery of products and services that reflect the concerns of this growing tourism market.

"LGBT people have grown weary of the number of destinations, hotels and airlines all claiming to be gay-friendly," Darren Cooper, from OUT NOW said. "LGBT people do not experience tourism when they view an advertisement. Whether an LGBT person has a great holiday is directly correlated to how welcomed they feel when they stay with a hotel and visit a destination - and it is the tourism industry staff who serve them during their holiday who have the most direct bearing upon how well-respected LGBT people feel.”

Copies of the 'Brazil LGBT2020 Travel Report - 2013' can be downloaded here http://www.outnowconsulting.com/media/1329/BR-public-reportV9-smB.pdf

Gay Weddings is Paris - The Most Romantic Place on Earth

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:49:04 GMT

Some say Paris is the most romantic city in the world! Now, GAYS and LESBIANS can get married there too!

Netherlands said Yes! - 2001
Belgium said Yes! - 2003
Canada said Yes! - 2005
Spain said Yes! - 2005
South Africa said Yes! - 2006
Norway said Yes! - 2008
Sweden said Yes! - 2009
Portugal said Yes! - 2010
Iceland said Yes! - 2010
Argentina said Yes! - 2010

Brazil said Yes! - 2011
Denmark said Yes! - 2012
Uruguay said Yes! - 2013
New Zealand said Yes! - 2013

TODAY, TUESDAY, APRIL 23th, 2013,
FRANCE SAID OUI OUI!!!

ABC reports - France legalized gay marriage on Tuesday after a wrenching national debate that has exposed deep conservatism in the nation's heartland and triggered huge protests that tapped into deep discontent with the Socialist government.

Legions of officers with water cannon braced outside the National Assembly for violence that had not come by late evening. The protests against the measure included thousands but were peaceful. Other gatherings were simply celebrations.

But it was an issue that galvanized the country's faltering right, which had been decimated by infighting and their election loss to President Francois Hollande.

The measure passed easily in the Socialist-majority Assembly, 331-225, just minutes after the president of the legislative body expelled a disruptive protester in pink, the color adopted by French opponents of gay marriage. read more.

Summer Fun with Gay Pride in Barcelona Spain

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:02:50 GMT

For the fifth year running, Barcelona is well into the preparations to welcome you to the most important LGBT pride festival in the Mediterranean – Pride Barcelona’13. The main celebrations will be on the weekend of the 28th, 29th and 30th of June , but entire festival includes a program that runs from the 20th to the 30th of June!

30 charitable associations, many local businesses and the entire LBGT community have again united to organise a new pride for the city – offering ten days of culture, sport, debate, entertainment and parties. Pride Barcelona is a major free not-for-profit event that both celebrates the best of the Catalan capital.

Spain is a shining example of LGBT Rights, and is already on the global map for pride celebrations in Madrid and Maspalomas – always reaffirming our open, respectful and tolerant character. Barcelona is now firmly placed on that map – growing bigger and better every year.

Come and experience Pride Barcelona 2013. See for yourself why this new event is now among the greatest pride celebrations in the world!

Pride Barcelona

What is Gay Travel?

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:19:47 GMT

What is GAY TRAVEL? What is a GAY HOTEL?

I attended a meeting last week in Chicago, where the OUT NYC gay resort hotel presented to community, a proposal to open their 2nd gay property, right in the heart of Chicago's gay Boystown.

I was SHOCKED by all the gay people, who said, "why do we need a gay hotel? We talk about acceptance and equality, then turn around and want our own hotel."

I stayed at the AXEL in Barcelona 5 years ago - and thought WHAT A GREAT CONCEPT!

There have been gay resorts forever in Key West, Palm Springs and Provincetown. Now to have a whole gay hotel in major cities, I think, is an excellent idea.

Maybe it's a age thing. I'm 50. I grew up in a small town in Michigan. As soon as I was 19, I headed for the big city in search of other gay people. The Castro in San Francisco, WeHo in Los Angeles, Boystown in Chicago, all become thriving LGBT communities.

While it is true, gay people have spread out into the masses now, we are not now, nor will we ever be 100% accepted by EVERYONE.

A writer recently explained how he finds comfort in the gay community, even though he has many straight friends, "Boystown is my go-to, my very own Cheers, but on a larger scale. I'm certainly not alone, but as the weather starts to warm and the bar scene beckons ever more urgently, I keep asking myself: Is this really a good use of my time in Chicago, a progressive city with so much to do? Do I need to bust out of Boystown for a change? I'm not so sure.

LGBT people understand what I'm talking about. Boystown is a gay refuge, rainbow pillars and all. It's become the place that we, as a community, have built for ourselves over the years at times when most of society told us we had no place. And in regards to going out, it's a community where many gay folks feel the most safe when tossing back a few beers.

Sure, society has come a long way in terms of LGBT rights, but things aren't really that perfect yet. We, as LGBT people, still have a lot of things to worry about when thinking of going out for a night on the town."

(Please read his full article).

I have many straight friends - but I frequent gay bars more than straight bars. And when I go on vacation, I seek out the gay community in whatever city, what country I am in. It's HOME. It's MY PEOPLE. You know you are among similar people with similar stories.

I LOVE my straight friends - but I do not want to take a straight cruise. While it is true, more and more cities and hotels are now "gay-friendly", rolling out the pink carpet for our dollars, for me given the choice, I try to support my community 100% whenever I can.

Thoughts?

VIENNA Wants Some Gay Travel Dollars

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 22:09:56 GMT

VIENNA is joining the growing list of European cities, trying to woo the gay travel dollar.

City authorities in Vienna this month released a review of the Austrian capital's gay and lesbian tourism strategy, deciding to focus on travelers interested in music, culture and history -- and with money to spend.

The review followed a study among gay and lesbian travelers from outside of Vienna that found their average household's monthly net income was 385 euros ($500) higher than that of other tourists to Vienna.

Clemens Koeltringer, marketing analyst from the Vienna Tourists Board, said this target group was "high profile, luxury customers who go to the opera and enjoy very good food".

"Vienna is not a Mykonos, it must not be," Koeltringer told Reuters, referring to the Greek party destination. "This is the main reason we are differentiating ourselves."

Read more at Reuters

Gay Travel Safari...Gone Wrong

Gay Lesbian LGBT Travel — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:15:03 GMT

I used to think I wanted to go on a safari and see the wild, up close!

Now, I am not so sure......