TRAVEL: The World is opening up

IS THE WORLD

Photo by Taryn Elliott from Pexels

OPENING UP ...

The future of the travel industry is uncertain. As Covid-19 continues to sweep across the globe with new more virulent variants of the virus appearing it seems that international travel will take years to recover to pre-pandemic levels. There is talk of countries opening up subject to rules and regulations, testing, tracing, vaccination passports etc. The only way ultimately that we will ever get to a point when we can travel freely is when the entire global population has been vaccinated or at least we can get to a point when enough people have been vaccinated and the world reaches population or as some term it, herd immunity. Until then the virus is champion and travel will be restricted and difficult. Already one needs vaccinations such as yellow fever in order to travel to certain countries so similarly a Covid vaccination will become a travel requirement that we will quite simply have to live with. For those who object to vaccinations ... well sorry but they will just have to stay at home

With governments slowly getting to grips with vaccinations and the rollout of vaccinations picking up the likelihood of travelling to far flung global destinations is slowly becoming a possibility. Here is South Africa the government is hoping to reach population immunity by December. In Europe and the USA they hope to reach their vaccination targets earlier. All this bodes well for the crippled hospitality industry and of course those off us who are keen to start travelling again.

Gay destinations are hardest hit in that they cater to a niche market unlike those which attract families and travellers from the broader society. It is therefore imperative that we as a marginalised community support those people and destinations who support our community. the pandemic has decimated the local “gay” scene. The city no longer has the “gay village” that was once so vibrant. De Waterkant had a number of venues: Crew - closed; Amsterdam Bar - closed; Beefcakes - closed; The Hothouse - closed; Social Bar - closed; Lulu’s Bar - closed; Versatile - closed; Beaulah’s - closed ... Venues such as Berta’s is closed and Zer021 barely surviving. So there is little to attract LGBTI+ travellers to the city that cater specifically for them.

This is true of other “gay” destinations but there is hope and as the industry slowly rebuilds so too will those places catering to our community. So when planning your dream holiday or your annual getaway keep in mind that our brothers and sisters around the world need our support. Plan on visiting those who supported us in the past and lets rebuild our LGBTQI+ friendly holiday spots together....

THAILAND

Thailand has for years been one of the world’s most tolerant and LGBTQI+ friendly places to visit. Bangkok, the country’s capital is a large, vibrant city with a welcoming people, fabulously glamorous hotels and a night life that is unsurpassed. If overcrowded clubs and bars are not your scene, or if you feel they could be super-spreader places, Thailand has wonderful beach resorts - Pattaya and Phuket immediately come to mind, where you can have a relaxing, sun-drenched beach holiday, eat delicious local cuisine, sip cocktails and be pampered without leaving your beach lounger. If shopping is your kind of holiday, then where better that the huge shopping centres selling every designer name you can think of, even on products that the designer never intended their name to be on...

The Thai economy which relied so heavily on tourism is in tatters, but the people are resilient and will rebuild. Their wonderful “get-on-with-it” kind of attitude has seen them rebuild in the past, the devastating 2004 tsunami is a example of their determination . So as an LGBTIQ+ destination Thailand is tops. Sitges - Spain Miami Florida

A recent survey from misterBnB gives insight into how LGBTQI+ travellers are thinking regarding travelling postCovid. Results showed that American LGBTQI+ travellers plan to take vacations again, with many people choosing affordable, mostly domestic or close-by international options. According to misterBnB, Palm Springs is the number one post-pandemic destination for LGBTQI+ travellers, followed by anywhere in Florida, New York City, Fort Lauderdale, and Provincetown rounding out the top five, respectively. Puerto Vallarta, San Francisco, New Orleans, other cities in Mexico, and Las Vegas rounded out the top ten.

MIAMI, America’s most sun-soaked city is also one of its gayest, with no shortage of LGBTQI +cultural highlights, party opportunities and places to stay. It is one of the most liberal cities in America, with a vibrant gay community and again the beaches heaving with toned, beautiful people will keep your voyeuristic inclinations satisfied. The city, especially South Beach has loads of sophisticated restaurants and bars and a “gay” area a stones throw away.

New York Pride 2021

SPAIN

Europe, which at the start of the pandemic, was hardest hit. Little was known about the virus and Italy and Spain, as huge tourist destinations, suffered the brunt, with total lockdowns and soaring death rates. With vaccinations reaching population immunity levels these countries are opening up again. Spain, a major LGBTI+ destination with world-renowned holiday places catering to “gay” travellers such as Barcelona and the nearby resort town of Sitges. Gay men flock to these places as well as the islands of Grand Canaria and Ibiza. Once again the rainbow flag is flying at bars and beaches welcoming gay travellers, with strict Covid protoco;s in place ... of course NEW YORK CITY - The pandemic hit New York hard, but LGBTQI+ locals and travellers are gaily returning to its iconic enclaves with gusto; virtually all coronavirus restrictions were lifted on June 15. The West Village remains the city’s dynamic queer hub, with Stonewall Inn, Henrietta Hudson, Julius’, Cubby Hole, and other favourites all open with indoor and outdoor seating. NYC Pride was back under the theme “The Fight Continues,” along with the June 26 in-person Dyke March and June 27 Heritage of Pride broadcast special (and virtual experiences), plus an in-person PrideFest street fair in the Village. There was a distinct Queer Liberation March on June 27 as a peaceful protest to channel the early 1970’s Stonewall protests - so if big cities are your vibe - look no further. New York City is the world’s most vibrant.

Provincetown, a gay mecca in the United States had an influx of over 60ooo visitors over the July 4th weekend and became a petri dish for Covid infections, with nearly 1,000 positive COVID-19 cases resulting from “large bar and dance crowds of shirtless partying masses of men crammed next to each other.” According to John Casey of Advocate Magazine. With an aggressive track and trace programme and mandated mask wearing indoors together with high vaccination rates, infections have dropped to manageable levels and the town is once again welcoming visitors. The Mayor reported that: “We encourage people to come, and we want them to come vaccinated.” Adding that “If there’s one lesson about P-town’s recent experience, it is that the vaccine works,” out of the 930 infections there were 7 hospitalisations.

Provincetown, USA

PV or PUERTO VALLARTA has been described as a “gay Mexican oasis,” and according to the drop-dead gorgeous Nomadic Boys “is not only a stunning beach resort city located right on the Pacific Coast, but it’s also a wild destination for the gay boys to have a little fun in the sun. We had a blast exploring the city and always felt relaxed and safe walking hand in hand through the colourful cobblestone streets. We especially savoured our time in both Zona Romantica and Playa de los Muertos, which are the primary gay hotspots of PV.”

Photo Nomadic Boys

If you’re looking for the exotic and unusual why not give MALTA a try ... recommended by Pink News UK. Malta is ranked number 1 on the Rainbow Index of LGBT-friendly countries and one of five countries in the world that has LGBT+ rights at a constitutional level, “the Mediterranean archipelago is known for its beautiful, clean beaches; historically important architecture and world-class diving sites.”

Right now, Malta has some of Europe’s lowest COVID-19 rates and highest vaccination rates, with fully-vaccinated tourists able to arrive and head straight for the beach without any quarantine time. Whilst the island has a few bars and clubs specifically for LGBTQI+ tourists, the country’s increasingly inclusive ethos, means that “the need for specifically queer spaces has thinned out as the entire island opens up for us.”

Remaining on the Mediterranean holiday idea one of the world’s gayest cities is bustling TEL AVIV with its pristine beaches and a city atmosphere that lends itself well to the climate. Promenades and beaches are alongside cafes and markets making the city the hub of Israel’s gay culture. Israel is steeped in history - a small country, easy to get around with seemingly endless attractions and historical sites to visit. In Jerusalem, a city where multiple religions collide, you’ll find biblical places intertwined with Islamic and Jewish heritage. Furthermore Israel has the world’s highest and most successful vaccination programme.

BRAZIL with its vibrant, cosmopolitan cities and world famous beaches, relaxed LGBTQI+ laws, (despite the incumbent President’s homophobic utterances and beliefs), remains for many gay travellers the ultimate destination. Visit Rio de Janeiro which boasts the world famous Copacabana and Ipanama beaches or take in the distinctive and creative architecture of Sao Paulo, a huge city with a huge gay night life ranging from massive dance clubs to intimate bars, nightly street parties to clean, cruisy saunas - there is everything to satisfy any gay traveller.

USA Today reported recently that “The travel industry has rebooted before, and it will bounce back again soon. And if history is any guide, LGBTQ travellers will be leading the way.”

“Gays lead, and the rest follow,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of U.S. Travel Association, which represents all segments of travel in America. He told the National LGBT Media Association. “They’re adventurous and like new experiences. They have a penchant for travel far greater than their heterosexual counterparts. They travel more and spend more when they travel. They’re the darlings of the travel industry when it comes to spending and dollars.”

So as the world opens up again, albeit with Covid protocols and restrictions, vaccination passports and other requirements the future of world travel is a positive one. As with the AIDS crisis of 80’s we will adapt and life will go on, so plan your trip!