Southwest Airlines Stumbles of the Closet: Conflicting Messages in GLBT-Themed Travel Section?

During a recent visit to Southwest Airline's web site, I stumbled upon something that grabbed my eye. The company's Gay Travel Section -- "We Take Pride in Partnering With You!." Launched in late spring, this double-entendre laden area describes itself as "the first Southwest Airlines dedicated web page to the gay and lesbian community." They apparently "have so much fun stuff to help you get out and about, that we thought we'd put it all in one easy-to-find place. From gay-friendly destinations to gay events around the country, you'll find information to suit your needs." (Finally!)

The "gay-friendly destinations" are places that Southwest has determined to have "welcoming cultural diversity" and include such hidden gems as San Francisco, Provincetown, and, if you can believe it, the Miami area (sorry Tennessee!). Among the upcoming events that Southwest surmises might interest members of the gay and lesbian community: the International Mr. Gay Competition, Blue Gay-la: Lake Tahoe's Gay & Lesbian Ski Week, 2008 OUTFest all made the list. Interestingly enough, so did the Jan. 1 Mummers Day Parade in Philadelphia, which, although not affiliated with any gay or lesbian community, does involve men dressing in flamboyant costumes.

"Southwest likes to remain a maverick in the field," according to a company spokesperson I talked to yesterday. Using "a research and segmentation team," the airline analyzed where gays and lesbians were traveling and then used that information to compile their lists. "Everyone wants something different," she explained "and we try to cater to them."

And boy do they know how to cater! They even came up with a helpful list of gay travel tips that reads like a mother's parting words before her child's first camping trip: Ask the right questions, leave a trail, always be prepared, "smelling good... c'mon, you know you want to." (And straight guys want to stink?)

More of Southwest Airlines Stumbles of the Closet
Washington Post

More gays pick Galveston as spot to live and relax

With its laid-back lifestyle and low cost of living, Galveston promises to become the gay tourist mecca and residential center of the South, said activist-publisher Laura Villagran, who earlier this month opened the city's first gay and lesbian visitor's center.
More gays pick Galveston as spot to live and relax
Houston Chronicle, United States

Study Finds No Evidence That Airport Security Prevents Attacks

Airport security lines can annoy passengers, but there is no evidence that they make flying any safer, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

A team at the Harvard School of Public Health could not find any studies showing whether the time-consuming process of X-raying carry-on luggage prevents hijackings or attacks.

They also found no evidence to suggest that making passengers take off their shoes and confiscating small items prevented any incidents.

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration told research teams requesting information their need for quick new security measures trumped the usefulness of evaluating them, Eleni Linos, Elizabeth Linos, and Graham Colditz reported in the British Medical Journal.

"We noticed that new airport screening protocols were implemented immediately after news reports of terror threats," they wrote.

"Even without clear evidence of the accuracy of testing, the Transportation Security Administration defended its measures by reporting that more than 13 million prohibited items were intercepted in one year," the researchers added. "Most of these illegal items were lighters."

The researchers said it would be interesting to apply medical standards to airport security. Screening programs for illnesses like cancer are usually not broadly instituted unless they have been shown to work.

"We'd like airport security screening to be of value. As passengers and members of the public we'd like to know the evidence and the reasoning behind these measures," Linos said in a telephone interview.

Study Finds No Evidence That Airport Security Prevents Attacks

Niche gay and lesbian cruises through October 2008

Fancy baring it all or bearing it? Seeking something a little more mature on the high seas? If you crave sailing into the sunset with a specific sector of the LGBT community, check out these niche cruise options, from all-black to gray gay. Contact travel agents MIM Travel (www.gay-travel-by-mim.com) and Source Events ( www.sourceevents.com) when you're contemplating such specific cruise options. For range of cruises go to: Niche gay and lesbian cruises through October 2008
Gay.com UK, UK 

Devilishly fun: New York's Hell's Kitchen heats up

Not so long ago, Greenwich Village seemed destined to reign eternal as the central neighborhood of New York City gay life. With a long counterculture history and as the collective-consciousness birthplace (courtesy 1969's Stonewall uprising) of international outness, the Village was a natural gay ground zero.

That is, until local rents soared and '80s and '90s gays forged north of 14th Street to recrown Chelsea as the queer habitat of choice, seemingly for the coming new millennium. That is, until local rents soared again, forcing the latest foray even further northward into the onetime NYC nether region of Hell's Kitchen, a pink surge that's earned the area a host of new nicknames, from Hellsea and NoChe (both nods to southern neighbor Chelsea) to Hell's Pantry and Hell's Kitchenette.

Running roughly from 34th to 57th Streets and from Eighth Avenue west to the Hudson River, Hell's Kitchen's proximity to Broadway and the Theatre District has meant stray gays have long lived here, attracted by the formerly cheap rents of its tenement-style housing. It's only in the past half decade that gay people have settled here en bloc, bringing with them the requisite bars and restaurants that now make Hellsea Gotham's hottest homo haunt. More of 

Devilishly fun: New York's Hell's Kitchen heats up
Gay.com UK, UK

Tobago expands cruise pier to welcome larger vessels

 

A $2.7 million expansion project on Tobago's Scarborough Jetty cruise pier has been completed. The new jetty measures 960 feet in length and can accommodate cruise ships up to Royal Caribbean's Voyager-class in size (3,114 passengers).   (full article) 

Telluride Gay Ski Week Releases Schedule of Events From Top to Bottom

The Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA), sponsors and organizers of the Fifth Annual Telluride Gay Ski Week (TGSW) today announced the schedule of events for 2008 which takes place Saturday, February 23, 2008 thru March 1, 2008 and which will include celebrity guests Reichen Lehmkuhl and Charlie David as emcees throughout week. Since 2004, Telluride Gay Ski Week has welcomed guests from across the U.S. and around the world to some of the finest skiing and GLBT events in North America. This year's event as in years past will benefit the Telluride AIDS Benefit (TAB), a local, grassroots 501(c)(3) organization that has been committed to HIV/AIDS awareness in Colorado for now 15 years.

Mountain Village, CO (PRWEB) December 19, 2007 -- The Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA), sponsors and organizers of the Fifth Annual Telluride Gay Ski Week (TGSW) today announced the schedule of events for 2008 which takes place Saturday, February 23, 2008 thru March 1, 2008. Since 2004, Telluride Gay Ski Week has welcomed guests from across the U.S. and around the world to some of the finest skiing and GLBT events in North America. This year's event as in years past will benefit the Telluride AIDS Benefit (TAB), a local, grassroots 501(c)(3) organization that has been committed to HIV/AIDS awareness in Colorado for now 15 years.

"This event continues to be one of Mountain Village's signature events and we're pleased that TMVOA is able help bring this event to our community each year," said Mike Wisniewski, TMVOA president.

For 2008, TGSW welcomes two leading gay TV personalities to serve as celebrity emcees during the week. Reichen Lehmkuhl, known for the visibility he brought to the GLBT community through his participation in NBC's Amazing Race and now as a recurring character on the new third season of here! TV's Dante's Cove, will appear at Telluride Gay Ski Week for the first time. 2007 host Charlie David (also of Dante's Cove) returns to TGSW for a second year, fresh off from production of his new movie "Mulligans" but with the production crew in tow from his travel series BUMP!, which airs as well on here! TV. David will be filming an all-new episode of BUMP! that will focus exclusively on Telluride - Mountain Village and the annual ski week.

Schedule of Events includes:
Saturday, February 23 Welcome Mixer
Sunday, February 24 Oscar® Night Party and Opening Reception
Tuesday, February 26 BUMP! Shot Party
Wednesday, February 27 Mad Hatter Ski Party
Thursday, February 28 White Night Party / Telluride AIDS Benefit Sneak Peek Show
Friday, February 29 Telluride AIDS Benefit Opening Reception and Silent Auction
Saturday, March 1 15th Annual Telluride AIDS Benefit Gala Fashion Show

The Oscar Night Party is TGSW's annual Academy Awards watching event and opening reception that takes place at the Sheridan Opera House and kicks off the week on Sunday, February 24th. The big screen telecast is a "must watch" for all attendees. This year, the party doesn't end with Best Picture but goes on with a DJ and dancing through the late night.

The Mad Hatters Ski Party is new this year and is an "on mountain" hat contest that takes place on Wednesday, February 27th. Skiers will create their wildest hat or headgear under the watchful "eye" of BUMP! Celebrity judges Charlie David and Reichen Lehmkuhl will be on hand to pick the winner. Winner of "Best Head" will be announced slope side during lunch and prizes will be given to the maddest hatters in each category.

The White Night Party returns for its fifth year to TGSW on Thursday, February 28th. Immediately after the Telluride AIDS Benefit Sneak Peek Show, guests will gather under the big white tent for an evening of high-energy dancing, guest DJs and "eye candy." This event has become a popular annual tradition with local residents and ski week attendees alike.

Additional activities, bar parties and après' ski parties are scheduled or are currently in the planning stages and will be posted on the official Telluride Gay Ski Week website ( www.telluridegayskiweek.com) as they are confirmed.

Telluride Gay Ski Week 2008
When: Saturday, February 23, 2008 - Saturday, March 1, 2008
Where: Town of Mountain Village, CO and the Telluride Ski Resort
Info: Event pricing and lodging/travel packages to be announced.
Visit www.telluridegayskiweek.com for more information.

About Telluride Gay Ski Week
Telluride Gay Ski Week (TGSW) is an annual week-long gay ski event hosted by the Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association and supporting the Telluride AIDS Benefit. An alternative to other gay ski events, TGSW provides a unique vacation experience in a spirited and unpretentious ski town. Nestled in a box canyon surrounded by the majestic 13,000ft peaks of the San Juan Mountains, Telluride Gay Ski Week brings the charm of Telluride together with the European-style town of Mountain Village. For more information, visit www.telluridegayskiweek.com

About Mountain Village
Perched at 9,500 feet, Mountain Village is an intimate alpine enclave with luxury hotels and condominiums, stylish boutiques and innovative dining. Home to the state-of-the-art Telluride Conference Center and the convenient Mountain Village Activity Center, this European styled alpine village provides unsurpassed scenic ambiance with an emphasis on guest service. Ski runs meander through the town, giving many homes, condominiums, and hotels direct ski access to the slopes. All elements combine to create a modern alpine elegance to complement the rustic charm of Telluride.

Oscar and Academy Awards are registered trademarks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Love Spot - San Diego's Gay-Friendly Hilton

As America’s seventh largest city, San Diego ranks fifth as the most visited – and for good reason. With the best climate in North America, averaging 70 degrees year-round, it sits like a painting with the Pacific Ocean at its feet and puffy white clouds hanging overhead. And it’s gay friendly, making it the perfect spot to take your honey to, or suggest he take you to.   » More

As gay as it gets Copenhagen

As gay as it gets Copenhagen
There’s no place gayer than Denmark. So says a study released last year by the University of Leicester, which, of course, was tracking gayness – in the old sense – the Danes, it seems, are simply the happiest people on earth. And why wouldn’t they be, with a gorgeous country, equally gorgeous countrymen, a friendly and open society, a killer collective design sense and idyllic map-placement at the heart of northern Europe?   » More

Study: 77 percent of gays book travel online; 42 percent prefer ...

Lesbians and gay men are a dream market for the tourism industry. 94.1% of the 6,700+ survey respondents to Community Marketing's 12th Annual LGBT Tourism Study stayed in a hotel at least one night in the last twelve months, with the median respondent staying 14 nights in hotels during that period. A hotel’s reputations for gay-friendliness was cited as the top influence for choosing a hotel, followed by location near tourist attractions, location near a gay neighborhood, and free high-speed internet access.

77% of respondents said they shop for hotels and book online, while 29% said they book accommodations by phone or in person through a travel agent or directly with the supplier.

As found in Community Marketing’s recent Gay Consumer Index™ and Lesbian Consumer Index™ studies, lesbians and gay men notice companies that advertise in the LGBT media, and are more likely to purchase products and services from those companies.

86% of respondents took at least one flight (up slightly from 2006) with a median of six flights in the last 12 months. 81% said they shop and book their flights online.

34.3% of respondents said they took at least one cruise in the last three years, with 62% of respondents reporting interest in cruise travel. According to Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), only 34% of their “target” market has ever taken a cruise. Only 17% took a cruise vacation in the last three years, less than half of the gay traveler comparison. CLIA’s target market is 25 years or older with a household income of $40,000 or more. “Clearly, the cruise industry should be taking a closer look at the gay and lesbian markets,” commented Thomas Roth, president of Community Marketing.

Other key findings from the study include gay and lesbian interest in:

• adventure travel (41.8%)
• spa vacations (36.1%)
• educational tours (31.6%)
• culinary trips (29.7%)
• eco-travel (26.2%)
• casinos (22.8%)

25% attended a Gay Pride celebration where they stayed overnight, making it one of the most prominent “gay motivators” for taking a trip.

76% of respondents have a valid passport (more than double the mainstream percentage).

The median age of respondents is 46.

65% are gay men, 28% are lesbians, and the remaining 7% identify as bisexual, transgender, queer or intersex.

 Study: 77 percent of gays book travel online; 42 percent prefer ...
MiamiHerald.com

What gives?

After scouring stores, catalogues and Web sites, here are 26 travel-related gifts in all price ranges.

• 2007 Holiday Guide

• Travel Products: It Came in the Mail

A B&B and a Tree

A B&B and a Tree
One man's quest for comfort and a conifer leads to the evergreen charms of Berkeley Springs.
• Locate More Stops in West Virginia
• Find All Mid-Atlantic Escapes

Icelandair says goodbye to BWI

Icelandair, which launched service from Baltimore/Washington International Airport in 1978, is leaving BWI on Jan. 13 because of "escalating costs and decreasing revenues." (full article)

JetBlue enables onboard Wi-Fi for one jet

JetBlue enables onboard Wi-Fi for one jet

JetBlue's onboard Wi-Fi for in-flight e-mail and text messaging made its debut on a flight with fare-paying passengers on Dec. 11, but for now JetBlue travelers hoping to make use of the service will have to rely on luck. (full article)

 

Lawmakers, gay-rights groups protest new HIV/AIDS travel rule

On World AIDS Day last month the White House said new rules would soon make it easier for people with HIV/AIDS to travel to the United States. Democratic lawmakers and gay rights groups are complaining that the regulations proposed by the Homeland Security Department could actually create more barriers.
Gay rights advocates have long opposed a 1993 federal law that strictly restricts travel and immigration to the U.S. by HIV-positive people, arguing it is outdated and discriminatory. Foreigners with the virus can obtain visas only after receiving a waiver from the Homeland Security Department in a cumbersome process that requires approval from DHS headquarters.
Activists say this can lead people to lie on visa applications about whether they have HIV, then travel to the U.S. without needed medication to avoid being found out by Customs officials.
The White House says it wants to make the process easier for HIV-positive people seeking 30-day stays for business or pleasure. As part of President George W. Bush's observance of World AIDS Day on Nov. 30, the administration announced the publication of regulations meant to speed up the process

What are you doing New Year's Eve?

LAS VEGAS goes all out for New Year's Eve, and this year is no exception. A 20-minute fireworks display, synchronized to music, will blast from the rooftops at MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, the Flamingo, the Venetian, Treasure Island, Circus Circus and Stratosphere at midnight. Jet Nightclub at the Mirage will hold a James Bond-themed party; guests are encouraged to dress as their favorite Bond character. Studio 54 at MGM Grand presents its 10th Annual New Years Eve Gala. And celebrity-hosted parties abound. Kevin Federline will host a bash at Tangerine Lounge & Nightclub at Treasure Island, Paris and Nicky Hilton will ring in the New Year at the new LAX Nightclub at the Luxor, and Pamela Anderson hosts a party at Pure Nightclub in Caesars Palace.

"EGOTOUR - travel your way", a new gay travel information and services portal,

"EGOTOUR - travel your way", a  new gay travel information and services portal, offers travel products for quality-conscious gay men. It provides travel suggestions and comprehensive local information about global holiday destinations. Reviews and comments on experience of any of the destinations, bars, clubs and gay friendly hotels listed are possible. An online booking service is available for all of the hotels listed and reviewed. Further premium services are already in development.

The portal differentiates, because information about global holiday destinations are provided by travel experts and reviewed. Sharing holiday experiences and ideas with like-minded travellers is the basic idea, taking the risk out of choosing the right time and place for a holiday.

Commenting on the launch, Christian Rozsenich, EGOTOUR founder, said; "Until now gay travellers who place more value on suitable surroundings than on clichées had very few reliable sources of holiday information on the internet. The portal closes this gap in supply of information and booking services. By allowing to review and comment on own experiences, it can easily find out what the hotels, bars and clubs are really like".

More infos and booking: www.egotour.eu

Upcoming gay and lesbian cruises through ...

The big-ship cruise companies RSVP Vacations, Atlantis, Olivia and R Family Vacations continue to span the globe from the wondrous Galapagos Islands to the best of the Caribbean and the Mediterranean with unique, one-of-a-kind high-seas adventures for gay men and lesbians who love the thrill of arriving at a new port each day and who thrive in a social, flexible vacation environment.

Cruisers in search of more intimate and low-key vacations now have even more options in the form of small-ship cruises from RSVP Vacations, Travelpride and Romance Voyages, among others. For details please see Gay.com  for  Upcoming gay and lesbian cruises through ...
Gay.com UK, UK 

London - A walk on the wild side!

London - A walk on the wild side!

When Samuel Johnson famously said 'When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life', he had no idea that his words would still be so prophetic over 200 years later. But to fully understand the reason why it helps if you look beyond the gay hotspots of Vauxhall and Soho, and revel in the ...
more

 

Fort Lauderdale among top 5 US destinations for gay travelers

There's big money in gay and lesbian travel, and Fort Lauderdale is cashing in as a pioneer marketing to gays — and now as their favorite U.S. resort town.

Gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people spent about $65 billion on travel in the United States alone last year, up 9 percent from 2005 and growing by a similar rate this year, said Jerry McHugh, senior director of research for Community Marketing Inc. of San Francisco, which specializes in gay travel. Fort Lauderdale among top 5 US destinations for gay travelers
Sun-Sentinel.com, FL

"It is hard to survive when you are gay in Jamaica"

Kingston. Janice has been beaten up for being a lesbian. Sitting in the small windowless room in an anonymous house in uptown Kingston, the 31-year old Jamaican shows a scar above her left eye. She says she never leaves her house without her knife nowadays. She claims she used it “a couple of times for self-defense”. When she speaks about her life as a lesbian in Jamaica, one can feel the pain in her angry eyes. She left home as a teenager because her family never approved her sexuality. : « I was 14, she says. My sisters had boyfriends, and I didn’t want any. So, I told my mom I was not going to have any boyfriend and any kids because I was different. She did not accept it ».

At the time, Janice moved in with a friend. « When I left home it was quite ok for a while until I was on my own on the streets, she adds. I left my friend’s place when I was 17. It was just hell for me because I could not just walk to a person and say “hey I am gay, but it’s ok” because Jamaicans are so much against it”.

Jamaica has anti-sodomy laws and gay sex is punishable with up to 10 years in jail. Sexual acts between women are not mentioned in the law and are therefore legal but are not tolerated by most Jamaicans. At the same time, the crime rate is skyrocketing on the Caribbean island. Over 1440 people have been killed since the beginning of 2007 and the country could match its record of nearly 1,700 murders in 2005.

In this context, violence against gay people is a common occurrence. In June 2004, Brian Williamson, a gay rights activist, was brutally murdered. A 25-year old man is currently serving a life sentence for the murder, whose motive was officially given as robbery. But supporters of Mr Williamson, 59, say he has been stabbed with a machete at least 70 times and in the neck and talk about a hate crime.

In 2004, a gay teenager survived a lynching at school by a mob invited by the father of the boy. In December 2005, Lenford Harvey, a gay activist who ran Jamaica AIDS Support for Life, was also killed. In April 2007, a cross-dresser, was beaten up in broad daylight by a mob at a bus stop in Falmouth, a town in Western Jamaica. Janice tells of a similar story. “ One day, I met a girl I knew at a bus stop, she says. We were talking and when two guys came up and called me a lesbian. They liked the girl and beat me up ».

 “It is hard to survive when you are gay in Jamaica”
the.point.is. news agency, NY

The gold at the end of the rainbow

The gold at the end of the rainbow
The Province, Canada 

Why B.C.'s tourism sector sees big bucks in attracting gay and lesbian tourists

Paul Luke, The Province

Published: Sunday, December 09, 2007

Like many gay boomers, Greg Auseth has itchy feet. His thirst for travel takes him more places around the globe than your envious heart can stand.

But of all the cities he has visited, none has embraced Auseth with the same degree of shrewd passion as Vancouver showed last year.

Auseth, a commercial photographer from Minneapolis, won a gay- wedding contest co-ordinated by Tourism Vancouver that brought him and his partner to Vancouver to tie the knot.

 

The 53 Places to Go in 2008

1. Laos: Vietnam and Cambodia are so 2007. Now, Laos is shaping up to be Indochina's next hot spot. Ancient sites like the Wat Phou temple complex and the capital city of Vientiane are drawing culture seekers. Luxury teak houseboats are cruising down the Mekong. And global nomads are heading to Luang Prabang to sample the Laotian tasting menu at 3 Nagas (www.3nagas.com) or hang out by the infinity pool at the seriously upscale Résidence Phou Vao (www.residencephouvao.com). See The 53 Places to Go in 2008

Compiled by DENNY LEE

From Laos to Lisbon, the travel choices for global nomads have never been more varied

 

Gay-friendly vibe is strong in Curacao

WILLEMSTAD, CURACAO –Nandy's been out since the age of 15. On her first day of high school, the teacher asked everyone to say something about themselves, something they like. She said, "I like women," and she's never looked back.

Now she's sitting across from us at the Avila Hotel's Grill Night with her girlfriend, Julie. We're a trio of les/bi travel writers and we want to know where the girls are on this steamy desert island. Nandy and Julie tell all:

On Tuesdays, the lesbians favour Ay Caramba. On Thursdays, it's the DJs at Cinco (cinco.an). On Fridays, look no further than Zanta Beach. On Saturdays, head to Mambo Beach (www.mambocuracao.com)Sundays, catch the Happy Hours at the Seaquarium beaches: Kontiki (kontikibeachclub.net), Mambo, and Wet & Wild (wetandwildbeachclub.com). These are all mixed events, full of local men and women, gays and straights, so you have to turn your gaydar to its highest setting.

Curaçao's tourism board has been hyping the island's gay-friendly vibe since 2004 when it launched a dedicated website at gaycuracao.com. Now there are 17 businesses in the IGLTA (International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association: traveliglta.com), the highest membership for the Caribbean.

Everyone credits the Dutch influence, here in the Netherlands Antilles; I'd also acknowledge the local multicultural mosaic for creating an environment where diversity is the norm. Most residents speak Papiamentu which is a sensuous blend of Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, English, native Arawak and West African tongues.

Negotiating sexual orientation is still complex for locals – most islanders attend churches, some of which quietly condemn. Nandy and Julie say Curaçao is friendly as long as you're not in people's faces. I look down and notice Julie is holding Nandy's hand and tickling the inside of her palm as we talk in loud voices in the middle of the Belle Terrace. Like, not making out in public, they clarify.

We pile into their pickup truck and ride through the deserted streets of Willemstad. Downtown, we pass a lit-up square full of tall blond students drinking Amstel. These are The Interns, who come from Holland every year to get experience in their fields and work on their sunburns. We coast by Lyric's, the gay bar, with its rainbow flag and its list of rules in Papiamentu. Taboos include palabra insolente, (insolent or rude words) uso di droga (use of drugs) and ningun arma (weapons).

 Gay-friendly vibe is strong in Curacao
Toronto Star,  Canada -

Buenos Aires in the pink as gays fly in to holiday

HOME to the sexy tango and strapping steak eaters, this South American capital has long been thought of as a bastion of macho attitudes. But a new hotel here is adding to the city's growing image as a bastion of gay friendliness.

The Axel Hotel, a Spanish import that opened last month, has come to symbolise Buenos Aires' increasingly aggressive effort to court gay dollars and euros. It is Latin America's first luxury hotel built exclusively with gay customers in mind.

That Buenos Aires would be chosen for such a marketing experiment is a result of a marked change in recent years in the acceptance of gay men and lesbians in Argentine society.

Buenos Aires in the pink as gays fly in to holiday
The Age, Australia -

Don't Cry for Gay Argentina

Five years ago, Buenos Aires became the first major Latin American city to approve legalized same-sex unions. This past summer, the Argentinian capital hosted a gay football World Cup. Meanwhile, just last month, the city welcomed The Axel Hotel, Latin America’s first luxury hotel designed specifically for a gay male audience. And this week, Argentina's House of Representatives is expected to vote on a new national law to extend health benefits to gay couples. All of this means there is a little need these days to cry for gay Argentina.

With travel industry experts estimating that about 20 percent of the tourists that visit Buenos Aires are gay (which amounts to about 300,000 visitors a year who spend $600 million annually in the city) it’s no wonder that there are gay tango bars and wine shops sprouting up all over town, and that a new "friendly card" guides travelers and locals to discounts at gay-friendly shops and restaurants.

There is now even, a "Gay Map" that lists gay-friendly nightspots and more.

Don’t Cry for Gay Argentina
Gay Wired, CA

US airlines ready to offer digital use aloft

US airlines ready to offer digital use aloft

At a time when airlines have cut back on meals and just about everything else, US carriers are about to launch a new era that at long last will allow passengers to send e-mails and instant messages and connect to the Web.

 

Gay Brazilian Teen Bashed

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows down Rio way. Made in Brazil passes on the scary story of how 19-year old Ferruccio Silvestro found himself hospitalized:

Leaving a gay club in São Domingos, Niterói, Ferrucio was approached by three middle-class boys in their early 20s who screamed at him “We don’t want faggots in our neighborhood.”

Gotta love those middle-class values.

Ferruci attempted to flee the frightful situation, but the hooligans chased him to a nearby gas station, where they threw him to the ground and kicked him into unconsciousness.

The student spent four days in the hospital and plans to press charges against the unknown assailants.

 Gay Brazilian Teen Bashed
Queerty, NY 

Delta Air Lines Sponsors City Navigaytour Gay and Lesbian Travel Guides

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Altus Group welcomes Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL), the airline that serves more worldwide destinations than any other carrier, as a national sponsor of the City Navigaytour. Delta is the first major airline to support the travel guide, which is written specifically for gay and lesbian tourists, as part of its commitment to diversity.

The agreement will support Altus Group’s national expansion as it launches guides in Southeastern cities including Miami/Ft. Lauderdale.

“This is a huge endorsement for the City Navigaytour as a vehicle for reaching gay and lesbian travelers,” said David Jefferys, president of Altus Group and publisher of the City Navigaytour.

Gays and lesbians represent one of the strongest travel demographics. As a group, lesbian and gay travelers spend more than $55.1 billion annually on tourism according to Community Marketing, Inc., a gay and lesbian market research firm. In addition, gays and lesbians have the highest per-capita spending in the United States at more than $42,000 per person.

The City Navigaytour was founded in Philadelphia in 2002 as an outgrowth of Altus Group’s award-winning, “Philadelphia: Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay” tourism campaign. The campaign established Philadelphia as a gay-friendly city and also spawned the City Navigaytour.

“The idea was to provide an orientation tool so that visitors could enjoy all that Philadelphia had to offer,” Jefferys said.

To help establish the guides, he worked with local tourism organizations to develop content and gain support. Over time the Navigaytour caught on, providing unique access to gay and lesbian visitors.

Based on their success, Jefferys expanded the guides to several new cities including Pittsburgh, Chicago, San Diego and New Orleans and attracted national retail and hospitality advertisers. Then, he set his sights on expanding into Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, widely acknowledged as a hub for gay travelers.

In August, he began talking with Delta, which offers a wide range of domestic and international travel destinations for the gay community and had been actively seeking a print partner to reach gays and lesbians.

“Given Delta’s focus on the GLBT community, we have been looking for additional ways to reach this vitally important travel demographic,” said Scott Slater, Delta’s director of Agency, Leisure and Segmented Sales. “Based on Altus Group’s experience with gay consumers and the Navigaytour’s track record in other cities, it was clear that they were the right partner to help us in our efforts to stimulate awareness in the markets of our diverse customer bases.”

Delta Air Lines, which has long been official sponsor of many of the nation’s PRIDE festivals and offers delta.com/gaytravel for the GLBT community, operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 324 destinations in 58 countries. Since 2005, Delta has added more international capacity than any other major U.S. airline and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 36 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers more than 650 weekly flights to 61 destinations. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on nearly 15,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 489 worldwide destinations in 106 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.

Altus Group (www.altus-group.com) is a full-service marketing communications agency that specializes in gay and lesbian consumers. Founded by David Jefferys, Altus Group created the first comprehensive tourism campaign that targeted gay and lesbian travelers for a United States destination. The campaign was one of only three to win two platinum awards from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). The other two include “I Love New York” and Las Vegas’ “What Happens Here Stays Here.” Altus Group currently publishes City Navigaytours for Philadelphia, Chicago, San Diego and Pittsburgh.

 

Key West - New Secrets of a New Destination

Key West — New Secrets of a New Destination
Lying at the tip of the Florida Keys, 159 miles southwest of Miami, Key West is renowned as one of the world’s top gay and lesbian resort destinations. The island’s “One Human Family” philosophy and respect for diversity are as well known as its balmy year-round climate which promises sun-drenched beachside afternoons followed by outdoor dining and club-hopping along famed Duval Street.   » More

Report reveals regulations for HIV+ travellers

Report reveals regulations for HIV+ travellers
The European AIDS Treatment Group has published the 2007 Quick reference: travel and residence regulations for people living with HIV and AIDS.

The publication, at its sixth edition, updates the information about all the requirements and regulations in every country for travellers living with AIDS.

It is designed to help people working in AIDS organisations and contains some of the most recent requirements adopted in several countries.
click here for the full article

No ban on gay cruises to Grenada

No ban on gay cruises to Grenada
Authorities on Grenada will not ban cruises for gay people from their shores.

Tourism Minister Clarice Modeste-Curwen yesterday complained that some hotel bookings on the island have been cancelled because of news reports that such a ban was being considered.

The tiny island nation, which has a population of 103,000, gained independence from the UK in 1974. Male homosexual acts are illegal and punishable with up to ten years in jail.
click here for the full article

Grenada opens arms to gay cruises

The Grenada Government yesterday announced that it would not prevent several cruise ships carrying gay passengers from docking at Port St. George over the next few months.

A statement from the Ministry of Tourism says there has been a negative fallout as a result of reports in the foreign press suggesting that the country was moving to ban gay cruises to the island.

Cruise liners Queen Mary 2 and Legend of the Seas have scheduled cruises with gay passengers to several Caribbean countries, including Grenada, in December, January, February and March.

Officials are particularly upset about a headline appearing in the online edition of the Toronto Star newspaper, which says 'Grenada considering ban on gay cruises'.

 Grenada opens arms to gay cruises
Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica 

One Is No Longer the Loneliest Number

One Is No Longer the Loneliest Number

The single traveler is being courted with more options.

 

JetBlue expands options to Caribbean for winter

JetBlue Airways is offering Bostonian snowbirds more options this winter.

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The low-cost carrier has added seven more flights per week from Logan International Airport to the Caribbean through April 30, bringing the weekly total up to 24 from last winter.

JetBlue has introduced three weekly winter flights to Aruba, a route it didn't offer a year ago. And it has six weekly flights to Cancun, Mexico, up from three last winter, and eight weekly flights to Nassau in the Bahamas, up from seven.

Additionally, the airline is temporarily offering flights for the holidays, from Dec. 12 to Jan. 15, between Boston and Santiago, Dominican Republic.

And it plans to add "a handful of extra flights on those 'super-peak' February and April vacation weekends" so travelers headed for Cancun or Nassau can choose between two flights a day, said spokesman Sebastian White.

JetBlue expands options to Caribbean for winter

Website gives comparison for deals on car rentals

Website gives comparison for deals on car rentals

Cost-conscious travelers can now compare car-rental options on LowFares.com. The website has expanded its low-price search engine beyond flights, hotels, and vacation packages, allowing online bargain-hunters to compare car rental availability across carrentals.com, hotwire.com, priceline.com, and orbitz.com with one click.

Island Getaways > Top picks: Best of Puerto Rico

 Check in Old San Juan's elegant El Convento (100 Cristo St., San Juan; 787-723-9020 or 800-468-2779; www.elconvento.com; from $205, suites from $490) is always popular with gay visitors. A magnificent, multi-story 17th-century convent transformed into a modern boutique hotel, the structure wraps around an open-air courtyard studded with enormous trees that were planted before the Yankee conquest.  See all of Island Getaways > Top picks: Best of Puerto Rico