Working as a specialized travel agent and tour operator, the lifestyle getaways target specific interests such as a cooking courses in Italy or city breaks. Targeting travelers who might be looking for a unique experience (isn’t that all of us?!), THE LUXER features several tours of note from spa treatments, food & wine tastings or more unique cultural experiences (stay in a castle!).

We’re big fans of their stated promise to discover and work with small hotel chains and villas, to feature independent and specialized tour operators and find travel deals not often shown on the main online travel directories. Here are a few of the things we spotted on their website that looked of particular interest:

THE LUXER operates in seven European countries (Italy, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Austria) with plans to expand to the US and Asia. Their best deals seem to be located in Italy, though we’re also a fan of some of the fashion they’ve listed on the site as well. Check out their current travel deals here: http://www.theluxer.com

Exclusive Travel Offers with The Luxer was originally published by adam on the best gay travel website: My Gay Travel Guide - hand-picked gay travel info, stories & tips

While bobbing along the Yangtze River, my partner and I attended a lecture on China’s future. As expected, the talk centered on the One-Child Policy. Since 1979, couples in the ethnic majority have been restricted to one child, except under very specific circumstances.

While it is illegal to learn the baby’s gender before birth, there is a thriving underground ultrasound industry. Baby girls are often aborted, resulting in a skewed male to female ratio. In some provinces there are 130 boys to every 100 girls. Millions of men will be unable to find a wife and, in a nation as family-centered as China, this is a huge issue.

An Unexpected Solution

The lecturer slipped a new slide onto the projector. Right there, in all its bullet-pointed glory, was the phrase ‘gay marriage.’ My partner and I gawped at each other as the speaker expounded on this unexpected solution.

Estimates of the number of gay, Chinese men who are married to straight women vary. Professor Zhang Bei-chuan, who specializes in the study of AIDS and HIV, puts the figure at 16 million. Our lecturer claimed it was 40-50 million.

The lecturer went on to suggest that legalizing gay marriage in China would fix multiple problems. It would end loveless marriages, making both parties happier. Gay men could then form unions based on true connections. The newly divorced women would be free to select a new husband from the abundance of single straight men available. With one change to the law, three people could find… satisfaction.

Attitudes Towards Gay Marriage

China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997. In 2001, the Chinese Psychiatric Association stopped viewing it as a form of mental illness. In recent years, Professor L. Yinhe, whose specialty is sexuality, has repeatedly asked the government to address gay marriage. Each year, her requests are refused.

However, attitudes among the public are shifting and China’s gay community is growing more vocal. In February 2013, a lesbian couple in Beijing applied to be married. They were denied, but the attempt attracted media attention.

That same month, members of PFLAG China crafted an open letter to National People’s Congress delegates in favor of marriage equality. The letter suggests that existing laws encourage gay citizens to marry people of the opposite sex, an outcome with little emotional benefit to anyone.

Gay Marriage

According to Professor Li, adult gay children ‘are facing extreme pressure from their families to get married to someone from the opposite sex.’ Some deal with this by entering into cooperative marriages, where gay men marry lesbians. There are even websites and forums set up to facilitate such unions.

Not the ideal type of gay marriage!

While in China, I was struck by the government’s extremely pragmatic approach to decision-making. With a population of over 1.3 billion, such an attitude is a necessity. Deng Xiaoping, the controversial reformer who essentially governed China from 1978-1992, once said: ‘whether a cat is black or white makes no difference. As long as it catches mice, it is a good cat.’

It boils down to this: if you find an effective solution, it is a good one. China is unlikely to beat the U.S. to the gay marriage altar. But the impact of a generation of single, disenchanted straight men may be enough to propel change.

Of course, there is one glaring flaw in the ‘gay marriage will result in more available women plan.’

Lesbians.

About the author

Juliet is the founder of Southwest Compass — a travel blog “Pointing Southwest Travelers in the Right Direction”. Follow her on Twitter @sw_compass or stay up-to-date with travel in the Southwest USA by following on Facebook. Learn more about her on her website’s author bio: About Southwest Compass

The Future of Gay Marriage in China was originally published by Juliet on the best gay travel website: My Gay Travel Guide - hand-picked gay travel info, stories & tips

To enter the FirstChoice.co.uk travel contest, simply visit www.happinessincluded.co.uk and answer whether you’d prefer a “short haul hop to the sun” or to “travel the world long haul.” You’ll have to watch a handful of colorful graphics pop up, but it’s fun and it certainly made me wish for yet another beach holiday. Personally we’re quite content with a short haul trip (we know Tel Aviv is smokin’ hot this time of year), but a big trip over to Thailand sounds like the perfect winter getaway. Imagine: beautiful beaches, a resort hotel, amazing Thai food and luxury pampering. Plus you could always consider a stopover in Bangkok to enjoy that unstoppable beating heart of Thailand’s gay nightlife: DJ Station.

This contest is fun—and only takes 3 minutes to enter. Plus the graphics are adorable. The grand prize? A seven night holiday for two adults, two children at the 4-star Best Western Premier Bangtao Beach Resort and Spa. Located on Phuket island (on the Andaman coast—that’s the prettier one for those of you wondering), the resort offers all your typical amenities: massages, spas, first-class restaurants, spacious rooms and even a swim-up pool bar. Note that this contest is only open to UK residents. We know how those Brits love their sun…and their bars—even if they come in a swimming pool!

Enter by June 30. And don’t forget the sunscreen.

www.happinessincluded.co.uk

Win a Beach Resort Holiday to Thailand with First Choice was originally published by adam on the best gay travel website: My Gay Travel Guide - hand-picked gay travel info, stories & tips

Tel Aviv Pride 2013 (PHOTOS) was originally published by adam on the best gay travel website: My Gay Travel Guide - hand-picked gay travel info, stories & tips

Do you remember what it felt like to be a teenager, struggling to define yourself in the face of a world you can’t control? How much would you sacrifice to feel free? DABDA is an original coming-of-age story of seven affluent teenagers in the 1940’s and their journey to find themselves through acts of rebellion, selfliberation and freedom of expression, which plays at the hip Toronto Fringe Festival next month.

Combining contemporary dance, fashion and indie music, DABDA is a heartfelt story you do not want to miss. Created by Alvin Collantes & Hayley Paone in collaboration with the ensemble, DABDA plays at Factory Theatre Mainspace as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival July 5-14, 2013. Tickets are available beginning June 17 via www.fringetoronto.com, by telephone or at the door.

In the film, the seven friends escape a posh family Fourth of July ball – and a promise to keep an eye on a little sister – to attend an impromptu underground beach soiree, strictly for teenagers only. The night that follows is filled with innocence and temptation, inhibitions, independence, and love. Ira and her friends push their limits in hopes of discovering freedom. But the plot thickens as they begin to understand the consequences of their actions the morning after Independence Day, and find out there is more to learn about growing up than just being free…

I couldn’t find a trailer for the film, but their promo photos were enough to get my attention! Plus, it’s at the Toronto Fringe Festival, so it’s practically required to be interesting.

Learn more about the film at projectdabda.com.

“DABDA” plays July 5-14 at The Toronto Fringe Festival was originally published by adam on the best gay travel website: My Gay Travel Guide - hand-picked gay travel info, stories & tips

When researching my previous post on the top summer destinations for gay travelers, I stumbled on the Flickr photography by Tom Giebel of Atomische. With his permission, I’m sharing some of his photos from the 2011 gay pride in Tel Aviv. Assuming the weather will be nice (and really—June in the Middle East shouldn’t be anything but warm & sunny), I should have an equally fun time at this year’s pride. I’ll be taking photos and videos of the event, so be sure you stay tuned and subscribe!

And just for fun, here’s a sneak peak of at least one thing I’ll be up to while I’m in Tel Aviv. Watch the video and see if you can guess what I’ll be doing with a suitcase full of Andrew Christian underwear.

Learn more about Gay Tel Aviv:

• Gay-friendly hotel booking with Out in TLV
• Luxury travel tours with Steele Travel
• Alternative Guide to Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv Gay Pride – What is there to look forward to? was originally published by adam on the best gay travel website: My Gay Travel Guide - hand-picked gay travel info, stories & tips

I love the beach

I’m a city boy through and through, but there’s something about the beach which always draws me in. If there were a perfect city in a warm climate, amazing nightlife and a beautiful city beach, I’d probably already be living there. There’s something special about the sound of waves crashing against the shore, of the stillness in the sand and the water (especially along the Mediterranean), of the sun and the sky. The horizon signals something beyond, and yet I’m often more than content on a beach.

I want to relax

From poking around the San Giorgio Hotel website (check out this photo!), it seems they are all about relaxation. With an on-site pool, hammocks and sunbeds, the hotel is apparently located farther from the other more noisy beach hotels. It’s also a member of Design Hotels, which is often the right style I look for when wanting a hotel getaway. While I want to explore all the different sides of Mykonos (including their legendary nightlife), I also want need to relax.

I want to have fun

As much as I need some chill time for relaxing, a visit to Mykonos wouldn’t really be complete (cliche, I know) without a visit to some nightclubs and beach parties. Luckily, The San Giorgio Hotel offers VIP access for all of its guests to one of Mykonos more legendary clubs: the Paradise Club.

With sun, sand and parties, I don’t think a trip to Mykonos could possibly go wrong!

* * *

After my intensive German language course here in Berlin I could use a bit of time sitting by a beach. While I’ve got plenty of beach trips planned for earlier in the summer, I’ve yet to ever visit Greece and it’s been on the top of my must-see destinations for years. Not to mention my strong ethos for responsible travel and desire to be a positive force on the economy. As a foreigner living in Germany, with the constant news of the Eurocrisis and European economics, there are a handful of countries I honestly believe could use my tourism money. And number one on that list is Greece. Please retweet this article to help my chance to win a free stay at the San Giorgio Hotel!

You can also enter the contest if you’re a blogger by choosing one of your favorite pictures from the hotel website www.sangiorgio-mykonos.com. Then write a new article on your blog describing why you would love to stay in the hotel, including a link to the picture from your blog. Then tweet the post with the hashtag #sangiorgiolove.

Why I want to visit Mykonos #sangiorgiolove was originally published by adam on the best gay travel website: My Gay Travel Guide - hand-picked gay travel info, stories & tips

This Thursday is the first annual Give OUT Day. The IGLTA Foundation is the charitable arm of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA). The foundation is responsible for annual scholarships related to LGBT tourism as well as volunteer initiatives in select cities. This year, they’ve announced an international “Give OUT Day.” They’re asking for donations on May 9th, 2013 to continue providing their services related to LGBT travel.

Learn more and donate at: http://giveout.razoo.com/story/igltaf

First Annual “Give Out Day” – Thursday, May 9th was originally published by adam on the best gay travel website: My Gay Travel Guide - hand-picked gay travel info, stories & tips

Tel Aviv

Named one of the world’s newest gay hotspots despite the city’s long-time culture of open-mindedness toward LGBT travelers, Tel Aviv is sure to be hot this summer. And not just because of it’s temperatures. June will see the city’s 15th annual gay pride. Many LGBT tour providers offer all-inclusive tours, or else provide the opportunity to book private group tours.

Check out Steele Travel’s 10-day “Milk & Honey” tour or Out in TLV for gay Israel travel information

Croatia

Croatia is easily connected to Europe with flights from all over the continent. It’s long been a beach destination, but its many advantages are only increasing. From beach parties to sailing adventures, Croatia’s coast line is HOT, but the small country’s interior also offers up adventure activities and beautiful scenery. Get into Croatia before anyone else discovers its beautiful coastlines and gorgeous men.

Check out The Circuit Week or the Croatia Tourism website

Greece

Though it’s been a gay hotspot for years, Mykonos still has plenty to offer for gay travelers. With the Eurocrisis, now is as good a time as any to visit Greece. Do your part and support the local economy and support a country that’s certainly deserving of some extra tourism. Oh, and Thessaloniki had its very first Pride event last year so don’t forget that Greece is much more than the legendary gay nightlife on Mykonos.

Check out GayGreeceGo.com

Berlin

With a history that could rival just about any other destination, Berlin has as much of a gay history as it does an European one. Tourist sites like the Gay Holocaust Memorial and the Schwules Museum offer a strictly LGBT perspective on Berlin’s history. But with the city’s legendary nightlife, amazing things to do and an annual Christopher Street Day pride parade that could rival any in the USA, Berlin is sure to (still) be amazing this summer.

Check out this guide on things to do in Berlin, or tours with Queer Tours Berlin

Antwerp

Belgium is one of those countries that’s often overlooked on European itineraries, but the country has an increasing amount of “cool.” Brussels, the capital of Europe, has its weird and quirky tourism vibe, while Antwerp has long-been a hotspot for gay tourism. This summer, Antwerp is even home to the World Outgames sporting event!

Check out the World Outgames or Visit Antwerp LGBT tourism site

Vienna

The Austrian capital is working hard to promote itself to LGBT tourists. The city has quite a bit of gay nightlife and with its fine culture of operas, symphonies and shopping, it’s no surprise why so many tourists love the historic city. Vienna is also home to the annual Life Ball — an extravagant HIV & AIDS benefit which revitalizes the centuries-old tradition of luxurious balls (I’m imagining it like something out of the Sound of Music).

Learn more about the Vienna Life Ball or check out Vienna’s Gay Tourism info

_{Photos via Flickr: Atomische, Proimos, Stranger Here Myself, Adam Groffman, Tijsb and Crizzirc}

My top European picks for gay travelers this summer was originally published by adam on the best gay travel website: My Gay Travel Guide - hand-picked gay travel info, stories & tips

Tel Aviv seems to be the buzz word among gay travelers these days. From my own personal travel experiences, Tel Aviv has been a gay travel hotspot for a while. At some point in the 2000′s, I’d always heard it was an open-minded and popular beach destination. But back in January when The Daily Beast published this story about Tel Aviv as the “The New Gay Travel Hotspot,” it seemed the idea was alive and kickin’—even if it was old news.

And while new gay travel boutiques may be opening up at a fast rate catering to LGBT tourism in Israel, some companies have been promoting Tel Aviv as a gay hotspot for years. Steele Luxury Travel, a gay travel agency whose motto is to “live your indulgence,” is celebrating its fifth generation of Steele Travelers on a 10-day summer journey through Israel.

Tel Aviv’s annual gay pride is one of the major highlights for gay tourism to Israel. The Pride event has been named one of the 15 best pride events by Out Traveler, and with sexy Israeli hunks and a party that lasts for days on the beach, it’s no wonder why. The 2013 Tel Aviv Gay Pride is already the 15th annual event.

The annual “Milk & Honey” luxury travel and nightlife tour through Israel offers a chance for gay men to experience Israel’s rich history, beautiful landscape, gorgeous men and extreme nightlife each year during Tel Aviv Gay Pride. Starting in Jerusalem, the trip takes tourists to the Dead Sea, historic Masada and a luxury hotel along one of the world’s largest craters, Mitzpe Ramon. After exploring Israel’s popular tourist destinations, the “Milk & Honey” tour ends with five days in the Mediterranean Sin City: Tel Aviv — just in time of the Pride events. During Pride, Steele Travelers get VIP access to the hottest parties and pride events—making it a convenient choice for those who want luxury treatment during one of the biggest events of a Tel Aviv summer.

For more information on the “Milk & Honey” tour to Israel, visit www.steeletravel.com/israel or call 646-688-2274

Gay pride in Israel – gay tours to the Holy Land was originally published by adam on the best gay travel website: My Gay Travel Guide - hand-picked gay travel info, stories & tips