Jamaica doesn't have the best same-sex track record.

Who could forget when Prime Minister Bruce Golding insisted there's no place for gays in his government? And, of course, there's the sick history of homophobic attacks, like when a mob attacked a transvestite last year.

Though many Jamaicans hope to keep their island clear of queers, scholar Dr Donna Chambers insists the nation needs to clean up its act, particularly in terms of tourism:

Tourism stakeholders, the lecturer declared, must determine if they could continue to ignore this market estimated at US$65 billion, or five per cent of the annual US$1.3 trillion global tourism market.

"Can Jamaica afford not to market itself to lucrative gay travel in an increasingly competitive global tourism market?" Chambers [asked].

Obviously that's rhetorical.

Chambers went on to say that Jamaica can only foster gay tourism if it creates a queer-inclusive space. She then begged the question, "Can the economic imperative precipitate cultural change?" Considering that the colonial economy helped engender Jamaica and others' anti-gay attitudes, we'd say "yes." Can they in today's cultural environment - and without subjugation? Probably not as easily.

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.
…
"There is no doubt that same-sex marriage and vacations to California will be good for the economy," tourism commission exec Susan Wilcox said in a statement.

We know we should be cynical about this, but it's just too awesome!

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.

CONTINUED »

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.
…
The issue of being offensive to most people in Cayman is one thing. The issue for the legal department to determine is whether or not an offense was committed and it seems there were serious questions about that issue.

Chandler told us earlier this week that there's still debate as to whether a law against public gay affection even exists. That's where authorities should start their investigation.

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 make over $102 million annually from same-sex unions.

Let that be a lesson to all those politicians and conservatives who wag a finger at gay nuptials.

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 on the beach, and turn it into a typical Tel Avivian strip of sand, complete with paddle ball games, falafel and surfboards. "This is an opportunity to put Tel Aviv on the world map of gay tourism," Pinkas stated.

The duo have enlisted a number of Israeli cultural figures, including gay filmmaker Eytan Fox, to represent Tel Aviv at this summer's festivities. They're also coordinating a massive dance party, because everyone knows we gays can't resist a little rump shaking!