With California looking to make about $370 million on gay marriages, the state’s Tourism Bureau doing all it can to drum up business: With legal gay marriage set to go on Monday at 5:01 p.m., California is rolling out the rainbow colored welcome mat, with the California Travel and Tourism Commission’s website showcasing over four dozen wedding locales and packages specifically targeting same-sex honeymooners.

From San Diego county to the Bay Area to the desert and everything in between, it seems, the offerings on the tourism website appear to have something for everyone - and every budget.
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“There is no doubt that same-sex marriage and vacations to California will be good for the … Continued…

Residents of Salzburg, Austria are in a fury over plans to turn the von Trapp mansion into a tourist hot spot. The von Trapp family, of course, were the inspiration behind The Sound Of Music, the longest, gayest movie in history. [POQ]

Last weekend I found myself in an improbable position: on a bicycle, in Valley Forge. Biking isn’t really my thing. It was once, when I was far younger, but I’ve always preferred two legs to two wheels. Call me a naturalist.

But, I had signed on to a press trip for a gay weekend in Philadelphia. Group activities are also not something to which I’m inclined and I needed some time away from New York City, with which I was falling out of love.
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Have officials on the Cayman Islands truly learned their lesson?

Departement of Tourism director Pilar Bush recently apologized after coppers detained American Aaron Chandler for kissing his boy friend in public, a story Queerty broke last Friday. Today, however, we hear that Tourism Minister Charles Clifford describes Chandler’s act as “offensive.”

The Minister presided over a town hall meeting Monday night and told his constituents that while he and others found Chandler’s gay ways distasteful, he can’t do anything about it: All of us in this room and most people in Cayman would agree that what happened in that incident at Royal Palms was offensive to most people in Cayman.
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The issue … Continued…

Aaron Chandler, the American who found himself dragged to a police station for same-sex public affection in the Cayman Islands, received a personal apology from the Cayman Islands’ tourism minister, Pilar Bush, who, we’re sure, is also talking to other gay jet-setters: “On behalf of the entire Department of Tourism, I apologise for your upsetting experience and want to assure you that the Cayman Islands is a welcoming jurisdiction to all people… What happened to you was an isolated incident, and is not representative of Cayman. We know that thousands of gay and lesbian visitors travel to the Cayman Islands every year and enjoy their vacation.” [Cay Compass]

New Jersey-born homo-politico Barney Frank offers favorite places in DC. He also offers some frank talk on the GOP’s gay ways: “There’s a very large gay staff presence on Capitol Hill. And it’s larger than people would think on the Republican side. But most of them have to be closeted. Not necessarily in their offices — they’ll say, “Oh, my boss knows and they’re very proud.” But the boss doesn’t want anybody in the district to know.” [PlanetOut]

As gay marriage, civil unions and domestic partnership laws expand, so do inclusive businesses: Throughout the Northeast, competition has spiked among wedding sites, hotels, resorts and inns as the travel industry has realized that same-sex ceremonies can draw scores of guests, who turn these destinations weddings into weekend stays.
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Same-sex couples may be an even more attractive market than their straight counterparts. The Travel Industry Association found that gay men tend to spend more on travel than heterosexuals do, and most unions in the Northeast involve out-of-state couples — in Vermont, over 80 percent. And a study by the School of Law of the University of California, Los Angeles, found New Jersey alone will … Continued…

Jamaica’s tourism minister, Edmund Bartlett brushed off gay activists’ complaints regarding the island’s pervasive homophobia. And American journalist Timothy Kincaid does not approve: “I would discourage anyone whom I love from vacationing on the island. Those who champion violence against some can champion violence against many….If he cares about the future of his nation’s economy and stability, he might be better concerned that his nation not come to be seen by the American public as a hostile and violent place…” [BTB]

We don’t know how we missed this story last week, but we did: PlanetOut has joined forces with Expedia.com. “PlanetOut Inc. has put Expedia Inc. in charge of travel booking on its web sites. It didn’t give financial details of this agreement. Expedia, based in Bellevue, Wash., agreed to advertise on PlanetOut sites as part of the deal, and to sponsor some of the company’s events.” [Business Times]

Out magazine celebrates Israel’s 60th by teaching goyim how to pick up in Tel Aviv, among other places. [Ynet]

The World Outgames aren’t just a display of gay athletic prowess, but also operate as an opportunity for tourism boards to reach a captive audience. Melbourne, Rio and Amsterdam will all send representatives to this year’s games in Copenhagen, as will Israel, a nation where gay rights remain a matter of serious contention: Copenhagen mayor Ritt Bjerregaard recently approached Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and invited him to set up a compound at the event in order to promote tourism to the Israeli city…

Huldai appointed City Council member Itai Pinkas and the coordinator of the pride parade in Tel Aviv Adir Steiner to organize the project.
The two decided to erect the compound … Continued…

One wouldn’t think San Francisco needs any more gay attention, but The Golden Gate Business Association says otherwise. The so-called “first LGBT chamber of commerce” recently launched an ad campaign enticing homos to visit their fair city. [The Age]

As Jamaican police address the nation’s homophobia, activist Wayne Besen’s calling for a queer boycott: “…It would be relatively simple to call for a boycott and picket, while handing hand out informational flyers to cruisers. A “Boycott Jamaica” advertising campaign would greatly strengthen these actions. Billboards would need to be strategically placed along I-95 between Miami and Fort Lauderdale with the bold headline: ‘JA-MURDER.’” Catchy! [PageOneQ]

• We’ve been seriously missing They Might Be Giants. In an effort to satisfy our aural yen, here’s “Istanbul”.

• University of Texas professor launches hunger strike for domestic partner benefits.

• Tabloid rumors hurt Queen Latifah’s feelings.
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Irate islander Eric Selby simply can’t stand queer cruises stopping on his beloved Barbados. That’s why the irate Selby wrote this editorial letter calling for more public protest: It is quite disheartening to hear of no dissenting voices in public to the planned stop-over of a cruise ship carrying gay passengers.

Talk about rights! Don’t our children not have rights too? Not to be exposed to such immoral conduct which proceeds from these individuals?

A passenger in my car noticed two male tourists kissing on Hastings Road recently. Is this the type of behavior we will condone in our island, paradise and all?
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There are stories of young boys and girls being enticed into the … Continued…