Friday Forum: Where’s the Latest Gay Hot Spot?
It’s that time of the week, when Queerty takes a break from the opinion-making and puts you, the readers, in charge. Each Friday, we invite you to be the pundit on a hot-button question facing the LGBT community and its allies. As always, we expect people to be respectful and considerate of others by refraining from personal attacks. We present the information, you make the decision.
With the economic crisis rippling across the globe, tourism industries are ramping up their bids to lure gay tourists. A report from Nepal details how that country has taken steps recently to make itself more welcoming to gays and lesbians. Asia One spoke to Jyoti Adhikari, President of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal, an umbrella organization of more than 700 travel agencies in the country, who said:
“It is something that foreign guests are always treated in a good manner. Compared to other Western countries, foreign gays and lesbians are not discriminated against here.”
The report goes on to say:
“A number of restaurants, discos and hotels have been established in the country that cater to gay and lesbian couples. Employees in these establishments have been trained to behave better so that visiting couples get the respect they are looking for.”
And while Nepal reaches out to gays and lesbians, what we want to know is where you want to travel. The LGBT community has a history of being first adopters: Turkey, Thailand and Argentina were all hot spots on the gay tourism circuit long before they slipped in to the mainstream consciousness, but what’s next? With airline fares plummeting, are you planning a trip abroad or are you staying close to home? Does the “staycation” have any appeal at all to gays and lesbians or our we embracing our inner vagabond?
If there’s one thing we know about Queerty readers, it’s that they’re on the cutting edge, so prove yourselves now by pointing our wanderlust in the right direction. We put it to you: Where’s the latest gay hot spot?
That’s easy! the best kept secret right now is Tuktoyaktuk. It’s all the rage and only the rich and fabulous (which includes the 10021 set as well as those party monsters from WEHO) venture up north to the land of 24 hour sun.. Not only does Tuktoyaktuk have cozy B&B’s but it’s secluded enough from the prying eyes of the pap’s that anything goes. You can party your noses off with all the snow!!!! Enjoy the wildlife, the fishing, or calm walks around the hamlet and make friends with the Inuit population. I hear Angelina and Brad are looking to buy a summer house up there…
@peter fortune: Don’t forget it’s near the Pingo National Landmark.
Also, gold star for you.
BERLIN, GERMANY!!!
I always vacation near the Equator.
What’s a vacation?
Rich and Fabulous? gawd, bring on the socialism.
Youngstown, OH
Puerto Rico!! especially Rincon and also the satellite island of Vieques.
Wherever I am, I find myself saying, “It’s not Paris”. Paris is the only civilized place on the planet.
@Anonymous: Youngstown. Hadn’t thought of that. But once you get tired of mowing your lawn and watching the TV in your neighbor’s paneled garage, there’s nothing left to do.
Ok, I am going to appologize in advance for putting this bluntly (and I am as sure that I am going to take on flack for posting this comment) however;
- FOR ONCE – can we attempt to break a stereotype here – in this case by not pretending to maintain the facade that we (gay men) are all either rich or DINKs, with much expendable income. I for one, cannot afford a vacation right now (and even though I have the financial means) would not dare to, in hopes of holding onto my job.
I think that if you want fodder for a more impressive column speak of something with more substance – such as – the effect of this negative economy on gay men – how men (shockingly – there are those of us that do not live in NY) can be fired for being out in the workplace, or further – how many of our campaigns for better rights and equality will be eroded by the current economic crisis (for example: at my place of work, we have shelved ideas of ‘partner’ health benefits – as it simply increases costs that my company cannot afford to incur at the moment).
Seriously – more substance, and less of this nonsense!
@Maharajah:
you said it loud and clear. And I concur.
@Maharajah:
Seriously, are we still pretending that we’re not in an economic depression? On point: how many of your journalist friends have called you for job leads lately? and, how’s that effort to sell Jossip going?
Let’s not ignore reality, we can do it without being completely glum.
Well this forum bombed.
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Who needs a new hotspot? Pick an existing one that you haven’t been to, and go. Miami. New Orleans. New York. SF. LA. Seattle. Atlanta, god dammit. Portland. Paris. London (a Gay hotspot since time began). Ditto Roma, Athens, the Islands a plane trip from Athens. Spain. Any city in Spain. Go anywhere with people, meet the Gays there, and voila! You have found a gay hotspot, in the only way that hotspot holds any hotness for me.
@Maharajah:
you’re right. shame on us all for having any fun.
pardon me, i’m going to go stab myself in the neck.
@Maharajah: What’s that? Ssssh, do you hear it? I think it’s the WHAAAAAAAAAAAmbulance. Seriously, take your indignant, impotent pent up rage somewhere else.
I’ve always wanted to go to Japan but I heard they’re not that welcoming to gays and lesbians. Discuss?
Japan not welcoming? Unless it’s changed since I was last there (admittedly a few years ago), just the opposite – fabulous nightlife in Tokyo, great shopping, and amazing, amazing, amazing design and architecture everywhere.
For those still heedless and frivolous to consider vacations, don’t rule out Middle Eastern funspots – Dubai’s prices are coming down, for example, and the hotels, restaurants, etc., are ridiculous but quite amusing. There are interesting communities dotted around the region, and local gay men really appreciate meeting representatives of the Great Wide World – socially, carnally, you name it. Think of it as supporting our brothers who live in more challenging circumstances than we!
@Muscato: I seem to recall that while Dubai’s prices are coming down, those who have lost their jobs are fleeing “paradise” because of their appalling debtor’s prisons. Default on your mortgage payments, go to jail. No thanks. That corrupt little fiefdom is a modern day Babylon; the facade is finally wearing off and people can see the ugliness that was always lurking under the surface.
How about some middle ground here between the ‘the world is crushing in around us!’ and ‘it’s your fault if you can’t afford a vacation!’
I am working, but have no idea if the place i work will still be in business by the end of the year. But i still have vacation days, and while the airfares to places i’d like to visit are enticing, like ireland, italy, england, i can’t justify spending so much money these days when every is so uncertain. So i’m taking smarter holidays this year, like driving up to minneapolis for a weekend with my other half (we’re in chicago), or visiting a B&B in wisconsin, possibly, if we are OK with it by the end of summer, going up to stratford, ont. for the shakespeare fest, and maybe taking a road trip down to memphis and/or nashville for touristy fun.
Yeah, it’d be pretty obnoxious to flaunt your ability to travel the world these days, but conversely, you can’t just go into a cave and pull a blanket over your head.
I vote for the cave.
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What about a gay staycation?
@Alec:
Ah, but it’s fun while it lasts!
The apocalyptic stuff on Dubai in the international press is mildly off base (just as the sunny everything-is-perfectly-fine local press is grossly so).
Dubai is what you make it, and it’s hardly the whole region, of the Gulf, let alone the Middle East: Oman has great beaches and nature, Beirut is where you really go if you want Babylon (in a naughty/good way, that is), Cairo can be more fun than anywhere else I know, Jordan has resorts and lots of history (not to mention a terribly cute little king, married alas)…
@Muscato: I was referring mostly to the construction projects and their treatment of foreign workers. I could also get into the rape of the fifteen year old French boy and the relative indifference of the authorities there, the straight couple prosecuted for having sex on a beach, etc. No thanks.
Yes, I know expats have found ways to amuse themselves in the region. But these are not liberal societies with due process in any meaningful sense, and I don’t think our tourist dollars should go there.
BTW, if people have problems with the foreign press accounts, authorities there could take the step of eliminating the criminalization of debt, actually enforcing existing laws (as sad as they are) on foreign workers, etc. That would help.
@Brianna:
Yeah but check out the difference in views! This got 3,000 plus more then the one you linked to…
What does it say about Gays and substance?
@J: I lived in Hiroshima for 6 months and Tokyo for 12 months before going back to Tokyo for work last year!
The gay life is ALIVE and KICKING! It’s a little underground and much easier to get into the thick of things if one speaks Japanese or at least has a Japanese counterpart with them.
Check out Shinjuku ni-chome. It’s the gay epicentre of Japan and has 100′s of gay bars, outlets etc. Only some of these allow foreigners entry however so grab a gay guide and have fun!
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