By Paola DePaola

Equal marriage is a basic human right and it is fantastic that a further more and more countries are recognizing this (in 2015 Easter Island and Chile began recognizing civil unions and seven countries legalized same-sex marriage); these historic decisions reflect the fact that LGBT rights are changing for the better, however 80 countries and territories still criminalize same-sex activity — a handful of which still apply the death penalty for it. This is abhorrent, and is why we’ve created an interactive LGBT rights map of 272 countries to help couples plan their wedding or honeymoon abroad. Our map is easy to use — just click on a country to reveal its LGBT rights and same-sex marriage laws.

Of course, before you travel, it’s also important to bear in mind that even though equal marriage and same-sex activity might be legal in a country you’re visiting, it still might be culturally unpopular.

When you are planning your wedding, it’s important you make sure whether you can marry in a country even if you’re not a citizen because although equal marriage might be legal, if you or your partner or both of you don’t have citizenship, you could find yourselves with a very expensive wasted journey, not to mention a huge disappointment.

And, if you’re honeymooning or holidaying, it’s important to remember that attitudes to LGBT people can be very different. Even though a country might have legalised equal marriage and same-sex activity, it might still be culturally disapproving of it and although we never advocate denying who you are or hiding your sexuality, if you do your homework before you travel you may find that simple precautions might help you avoid encountering hostile attitudes that could spoil your trip, or you could decide that visiting a country or area that might be hostile to LGBT people outweighs the risks in doing so.

For advice on avoiding problems when you travel abroad, visit The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.

For same-sex wedding legal advice, and same-sex welcoming wedding venues in the UK and overseas honeymoon hotels, visit thegayweddingguide.co.uk.

The Gay Wedding Guide is an online resource for same-sex couples looking to get married. It features welcoming wedding venues and honeymoon hotels, as well as advice and inspiration from industry experts to help you plan your big day to perfection.

The post On your merry way in the world? Make sure it’s safe first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Given the expense, the hassle, the crowds and the invasive security measures, flying isn’t what it used to be. One of the alternatives, Amtrak, is looking to make sure its train service is especially friendly — to everyone.

Amtrak has launched three microsites to cater to minority groups, including the Hispanic community (Descubre Norte America), the black community (My Black Journey) and for the LGBT community (Amtrak Ride With Pride).

Read more at dot429.com

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According to a presentation at this year’s Gay Tourism Expo held in Bergamo, Italy, gay tourism rakes in 2.5 billion Euros — that’s nearly 3.4 billion United States dollars — per year. The study was conducted by GfK Eurisko, one of the world’s largest market research companies.

GfK Eurisko’s research indicates that 44 percent of LGBT tourists have a diploma, while 37 percent have a degree. 17 percent are freelancers, while the average adult population of freelancers is only three percent. 12 percent are reported to be managers. LGBT tourists thus have a higher income than those within the total adult population: 42 percent have a salary of 1500 to 3000 Euros per month, or $2000 to $4000, compared to 28 percent of Italy’s whole adult population.

Read more at dot429.com

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The Greater Seattle Business Association unveiled its new Seattle LGBT Visitors Center on Capitol Hill to a select group of Tourism industry professionals Thursday, July 18.

The Center opened to the public on Friday, July 19.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) visitor center is Seattle’s first (and one of only two) such visitor centers in the U.S. Miami is the home of the other LGBT visitor center.

“Seattle’s vibrant, progressive and welcoming community is the perfect home for this unique resource for the LGBT traveler,” says Louise Chernin, executive director of the GSBA. “Open to all, The Seattle LGBT Visitors Center will be a great destination for all travelers to find hotels, exciting nightlife spots, fabulous food, entertainment, shopping and attractions.

“The LGBT traveler will know that each business found inside the visitors center is friendly, supportive and gladly welcomes the LGBT traveler,” continues Louise.

The 200-square-foot visitors center, hosted by 1st Security Bank, features a street-side space located at the bank’s 614 Broadway E. branch.

The center, a project of the GSBA, will be staffed part-time and offers a wide array of Seattle visitor information and services including brochures, visitor guides, maps, a 60” TV screen with scrolling information and access to Travel Gay Seattle, the GSBA web travel portal.

“As a local bank, we are deeply committed to the communities we serve. What better way to support Capitol Hill’s vibrant neighborhood than to host GSBA’s Seattle LGBT Visitors Center? We thank Louise and the GSBA for this amazing opportunity,” says Joe Adams, CEO of 1st Security Bank.

LGBT travelers comprise approximately 10 percent of the consumer travel market share in the U.S. and, on average, have higher disposable incomes than members of other niche travel markets. The estimated annual economic impact of LGBT travelers is $70 billion. The GSBA and its travel industry partners continue to work together to position Seattle as a top destination for these travelers, and help create new sources of revenue for Seattle and the Puget Sound region.

“The LGBT community already plays a vital role in the economy and vitality of the Puget Sound region, and now with marriage equality, we now have an even greater opportunity to harness the economic impact of the LGBT traveler,” says Louise.

In just the first four months that legal same-sex marriages were performed in Washington State, 14 percent were for out-of-state couples, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

“We’re proud to support the GSBA with this new venture during an important time for LGBT civil liberties,” says Tom Norwalk, president and CEO of Visit Seattle. “Our city has always been known as a progressive, welcoming destination that promotes LGBT civil rights and equality for all, and now Washington State has joined in extending marriage equality.”

“Extending a warm welcome is the right thing to do, but we also hope it encourages more LGBT tourism dollars which, in turn, strengthen our local and state economies,” he adds.

LGBT visitor centers brick and mortar or virtual are catching on.

New York, Vermont and Portland, Ore., all that states and cities with large LGBT communities and welcoming environments are jumping onboard to get its share of the pink travel dollar.

Portland, Ore. launched its own virtual LGBT travel center a year ago, QueerNW.com. Rose City queer community travel experts – Travel Portland, the Q Center and the Portland Area Business Association – partnered up to create the dedicated LGBT tourism website.

Earlier this month, New York launched its virtual LGBT visitors center I Love NY LGBT, an initiative spearheaded by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.

Vermont has welcomed LGBT travelers with the Vermont Gay Tourism Association for several years. The association was launched by Willie Docto, who owns the Moose Meadow Lodge with his husband Greg Trulson, is supported by the State of Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing. The organizations also sponsor Northern Decadence, an LGBT food and travel expo now in its third year.

Travel and tourism industry presenting partners include 1st Security Bank and Visit Seattle, which has maintained an LGBT tourism marketing partnership with the GSBA since 2009. Travel and tourism sponsors include the Sheraton Seattle Hotel, Sound Transit, Amtrak and OutCity Magazine.

Full Disclosure: Heather Cassell is a contributing travel writer to OutCity Magazine.

Originally published by GirlsThatRoam.com

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Hotel fixer Anthony Melchiorri, star of Travel Channel’s “Hotel Impossible,” comes to the rescue of the Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort. The episode featuring the transformation of the resort, its first resort property in the beautiful state of Hawaii, premieres on December 17 at 10:00pm on Travel Channel.

An adults-only property, the Maui Sunseeker welcomes all, but caters to LGBT clientele. With such a narrow client focus, Melchiorri works with Chuck Spence, Owner of the Maui Sunseeker, on the marketing strategy and allocation of resources to improve the property.

Read more at TheSeattleLesbian.com

The Seattle Lesbian online magazine reaches more than 188,000 readers per week globally.

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Berlin is an understated metropolis with a quiet yet distinctive charm. Nothing is excessive, and even the one-napkin and water-on-request-only custom in restaurants seems to make sense in a culture conservative with its resources, but liberal with its hospitality, and endlessly creative.

In this cool international city, the lesbian community is just as centered on Kaffee and Kultur as on Bier (beer) and Kneipes (pubs).

Read more at Curve

Curve, the nation’s best-selling lesbian magazine, spotlights all that is fresh, funny, exciting, controversial and cutting-edge in our community.

The post The quiet charm of queer Berlin first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Before he became a travel writer, Tom Gates was a music manager. He worked with artists such as Patti Smith, Annie Lennox and Sarah McLachlan. The business wore him out and he decided to quit his job, sell everything he owned and travel the world. His adventures took him to Chile, Argentina, Fiji, Bali, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, India, England, Germany, Italy and France. “Wayward: Fetching Tales from a Year on the Road” is his short book of travel stories from that experience. As an out gay man traveling solo, we talked to Tom Gates about his adventures and any tips he has for LGBT travelers wanting to get off the beaten path and see the world. Tom has a great sense of humor and a unique way of seeing the world.

Read more at LesbianLife at About.com

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