Carnival in Berlin: Do Take Candy From These Strangers

Oh my, did she run out of candy?

Wear a warm costume. Carnival in Berlin takes place February 12, 2012.

Then again, you may warm up from friction as you rub up against spectators and participants. Organizers are expecting more than 1 million spectators and participants at the 11th annual Berlin Carnival Costume Parade. (Break out your German dictionary for this site.)

According to Berlin Tourism:

With an expected 3,000 participants in 100 groups, 60 floats, and numerous marching bands, the frolicsome parade will start at 11:11 am, and move through the Western center of the German capital. More than 600,000 spectators, most of them in colorful costumes, line the streets every year to watch the parade and collect sweets.

Yep, that’s right. Spectators yearn to receive candy from strangers wearing very odd, sometimes disturbing costumes. It’s just little hard-candy sweets but, like those plastic beads in New Orleans, somehow they’re worth much more when received from wild revelers marching along the street.

 

World Pride is in London This Year. Cheery Ho!

Photo from London Pride 2011

WorldPride, an LGBT event incorporating parades, festivals, cultural activities and, oh yeah, parties held every five years, is organized by InterPride. The first WorldPride was held in Rome in 2000, followed by Jerusalem in 2006.

This year it is to be held in London from June 23 through July 8, 2012.

According to InterPride

WorldPride Parade, rallies, and street parties will be all over central London on July 7th. Festival listings will include events from the world of art, film, music, nightlife, literature, theatre, and politics and the finalized schedule will be announced over the coming months. … The parade day events and times will be added to the website soon. Visit InterPride onFacebook and Twitter and our website for announcements on everything happening at WorldPride 2012. 

High Seas Hijinx: We Can’t Even Cruise Straight

Actual guests on an Atlantis cruise

After a welcome but almost scarily mild (global warming?!) December, rigid weather gripped the Northeast just after New Years.

Of course, that propelled our thoughts to warm-weather getaways, including gay and lesbian cruise vacations. This season’s aqueous getaways range from the offbeat (scuba diving in the Republic of Palau with Undersea Expeditions) to the romantic (Danube riverboat excursion with RSVP Vacations) to the humungous and fun (the Caribbean with Atlantis Events).

Check out the websites of these companies and the following for this year’s line up of water-based fun including all-gay or all-lesbian charters and gay or lesbian groups on mainstream cruises:

Yes, You Can(cun)! Gay Marriage Allowed in Popular Mexican Resort

Men on beach in Cancun by http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeinqueens/

Gay marriage is popping up all over Mexico.

First marriage for same-sex couples was legalized in Mexico City in March 2010 with those unions recognized throughout the country. Next came the announcement that “thanks to a legal gap in the Civil Code,” marriage equality would be extended to lesbian and gay couples in Cancun (and other parts of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo located in eastern Mexico on the Atlantic coast.)

Specifically, the law allows marriage for “people,” without specifying gender.

A local activist, Patricia Novelo said gay and lesbian marriages are possible in Quintana Roo, “thanks to a legal gap in the Civil Code, which only makes mention of people interested in getting married, without specifying their gender,” according to HispanicallySpeakingNews,

 

“Zero Feet Away” from the Center of New York

That's close!

This sexy billboard is raising all sorts of eyebrows. To announce its new mobile app, Manhunt bought time in this rotating electronic billboard ad featuring two hot, shirtless guys. And they plunked it in the middle of one of the busiest spots in New York  amongst the tourist hordes.

Like Grindr, Manhunt’s new mobile app, may prove to be another arsenal in today’s gay male traveler’s tool kit for meeting other likeminded fellows when gallivanting around the globe.

 

Glee Fans Rejoice: Idina Menzel to Perform on Atlantis

You may have seen her in the original productions of Wicked or Rent or in the uber-gay Glee. Now you can see her on board an Atlantis cruise!

The fabulous and talented Idina Menzel is scheduled to perform on Atlantis Events’ Allure of the Seas Caribbean cruise, January 29 through February 5, 2012.

This is the company’s biggest cruise ever with 5,400 passengers anticipated to make the journey which originates in Ft. Lauderdale and heads to a private island for some water-based shenanigans then over to two ports in Mexico.

Have a little extra time pre- or post-cruise? Check out some of our favorite guest houses, including the Royal Palms in Ft. Lauderdale and Island House Key West if your travels take you to America’s very own Caribbean islands. Both are popular gay men’s resorts that are stylish and fun places to meet other gay travelers. They also both offer bars and restaurants so you really don’t have to leave!

The Gay & Lesbian Tourism Bible, 16th Edition

"Travel Man" on London Eye by http://www.flickr.com/photos/craige/

All LGBT marketing pros worth their salt keep a copy of Community Marketing, Inc.’s (CMI) Annual Gay & Lesbian Tourism Study at the ready for answers to many questions regarding the segment from its size to various behaviors to its most popular destinations.

This year’s study, the 16th Annual Gay & Lesbian Tourism Study is chock full of great information and interesting tidbits.

Though it’s intended for professional marketers, there’s a lot of great information here for travelers of all stripes, especially with respect to how important the segment is in the industry in terms of the amount of money it spends ($70B annually in U.S. alone) and its resilience in the face of calamities and recession.

Read on and feel pride to be part of this powerful community.

Here are a few key results from CMI:

1. Overall, the LGBT community has increased their travel in the last year, compared to the year before. Most destinations surveyed increased LGBT travel by 1 to 3% in the past year. This is in contrast to the last two years, which saw a decrease in LGBT travel due to the global economic recession.

2. CMI’s annual destination rankings did not see much change from the previous year. However some cities did see a more significant increase. New York City has always been the number one LGBT destination in the USA and the city has slightly increased its lead. New Orleans continues to gain visitors and is approaching pre-Katrina rankings. Miami continues to trend upwards and has jumped back into the top ten for USA destinations on the survey.

Click below for more findings.Continue reading “The Gay & Lesbian Tourism Bible, 16th Edition”

Tour of the Week: Extraordinary Journeys’ Cape Town Pride Week/Safari

http://www.flickr.com/photos/capetownpride/

This is the first of its kind I’ve ever seen: A mainstream but gay-friendly tour company is offering an 8-day safari to coincide with Cape Town, South Africa’s Gay Pride Week, which is scheduled for February 24 through March 4, 2012. Guests will spend  the first part — February 27-March 1 — in  Cape Town at the fabulous Kensington Place, and the second par — March 2 to 4  — at the Madikwe Game Reserve ~ Jamala Royal Safari Lodge

From the organizers:
Extraordinary Journeys Africa, specialists in bespoke customized safaris to Africa, is offering an 8-day safari in honor of Cape Town’s Gay Pride Week that will take place February 27-March 4, 2012. The first four nights are spent in Cape Town where guests will have the opportunity to see the exciting Gay Parade in action, attend the wildly elegant yet funky Pink Ball and experience all of the Gay Pride events this pulsing city has to offer including adventure activities, shopping and more! For the last three nights, a flight from Cape Town to the Madikwe Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands will transport guests to a five star luxury lodge surrounded by fierce wildlife. This luxury safari is masterfully created to combine the urban city excitement of Cape Town with the rare wildlife viewing in Madikwe.
Andrew Mersmann, writing for PassPort Magazine (a gay travel publication) wrote about it. Click here for the article.
For more information about the tour, contact Extraordinary Journeys, 345 West 58th 3M, New York, NY 10019; 1-800-403-6012; 917-325-3342or, visit www.ejafrica.com.

London: 2012 Is High Time To Visit

The Summer Olympics taking place in London July 27 through August 12, 2012 is of course the big story coming out of jolly old England.

And that will definitely be the ticket to get .

Start planning as early as possible. Airfare may climb sky high, so to speak, and hotel room mates will soar.

However, the folks at Visit London want to be sure we know about the many other cool events going on in ’12 from the Queen’s Jubilee (yep, she’s been on the throne for nearly 60 years!) to a stellar exhibit of rare surviving paintings by Leonardo da Vinci.

These events and more, hotel recommendations and other information after the break. (Click the link beneath the image to the left.)

Continue reading “London: 2012 Is High Time To Visit”

Suite Dreams: InnDulge, Palm Springs Winter Special

Hey, mister, you got some sunscreen?

Remember: Clothing is forever optional at this all-gay men’s resort in Palm Springs.  Not optional is the terrific service you can expect and the laid-back friendly vibe permeating the attractive resort.

The owners sent a message announcing their winter special of $99 a night during the week in December and January.

The rate rises to $129 per night on Friday or Saturday nights.

$99 Special  —  December and January

Book/get more information: