Nepal as a gay travel destination was something of a surprise. But the fact that London has just opened up an LGBT Tourist Information Office isn't too out of the blue – but it's a good thing just the same.

The office director says the reason for the center is to show that "London's exciting LGBT life is the best in the world". There might be a few cities which would beg to differ, but you'd have to agree that a huge city like London definitely has plenty for everyone.

But – here's a pretty big "but" – the office's website doesn't show much about the exciting LGBT life in London yet. Sure, it's early days, but the site's just a simple Wordpress blog with hardly anything on it, and really not ready to be launched, in our humble opinion. ]]> amandak 2009-10-26T14:52:19-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/23/164515/49

Nepal, a country that's been wracked by years of political instability, is desperately in need of tourism money. GLBT travelers and couples, all things being equal, tend to have relatively high amounts of disposable income, or so Nepal thinks. Therefore, the Nepal tourism board is launching a massive campaign to highlight the country as a gay travel destination. In addition to a very public campaign, they're planning to host an international conference next winter specifically on the subject:

Nepal government has held a series of meetings with well-known international tour operators and non-profit organisations to promote Nepal as a potential destination for LGBTs... Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) officials hope that LGBT arrivals will give a boost to the number of visitors to the country as the government mulls new way to bring in a million foreign tourists in the Nepal Tourism Year 2011. "Some international companies want to work in tandem with the government and attract LGBTs.'

]]> Omri 2009-10-23T17:08:28-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/13/101042/52

Usually, volunteer vacations are about helping the needy, but for some, they can also have a political agenda. Last year, Travel for Change helped send over 400 volunteers to swing states to work for the Barack Obama campaign. Now, they are helping send volunteers to Maine, where voters will take to the ballot box next month and decide whether to overturn a law that allows same-sex couples to wed. "Question 1," as it is being called, is similar to Prop 8, a same-sex marriage ban eventually approved by voters in California last year.

Travel for Change is working with the No on Question 1 campaign to get volunteers from across the country to Maine to work for marriage equality. The organization is raising funds and airline miles, matching volunteers to share rooms and cars, and placing them in appropriate jobs once they arrive in Maine. ]]> cmb 2009-10-13T12:03:37-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/21/8231/92717

Remember, back in the day, when "gay" was just a synonym for happy? The tourist board Amsterdam is harking back to those times a bit with their new Everyone's Gay in Amsterdam campaign. The main target is LGBT travelers, but it goes deeper; they want to:

promote the city’s unique sense of openness and inclusivity that resonates with any visitor to Holland.

Print ads, half-hour travel specials and co-hosted events make up most of the campaign, plus a beautifully-designed website full of people looking really happy. In fact, it takes a bit of digging on the website to find anything specifically aimed at the LGBT target group, but there is a list of gay-friendly pubs and clubs if you look hard enough.]]> amandak 2009-07-21T09:29:21-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/22/112734/680

This year, the 40th anniversary of the raid on the Stonewall Inn in New York City, it's more important than ever to recognize the impact that gay and lesbian New Yorkers have had on the city. Everyone's going to be hitting the pride parade as usual on Sunday the 28th, but we'd rather plunk down a few bucks for the First Annual Village Pride Bar Tour on the 27th, an afternoon drinkapalooza beginning at the legendary Stonewall with specials for just a $10 ticket.

Hear the Gay Men's Chorus perform at the legendary Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Thursday, home of an original Keith Haring altarpiece, or see the New York Public Library get into the act with a free monthlong exhibition of photos from 1969 in its flagship Stephen A. Schwartzman building.

If you can't make it for Pride, NYC & Co's round-up of gay landmarks like the Broadway theatre where "A Chorus Line" premiered should give you a good idea on how to celebrate pride your own way.

Related Stories:
· NYC Survival Guide [NYCGo.com]
· NYC Gets a Big Gay Ice Cream Truck [Jaunted]
· NYC's Rainbow Pilgrimage Counts Down to Pridefest [Jaunted]

[Photo of a flag carrier at Queens Pride earlier this month: oquendo] ]]> egw 2009-06-22T15:32:15-05:00 40.7337339 -74.002082 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/3/184050/2999

The food trucks are continuing their wholesale takeover of the NYC restaurant scene at full speed. The latest entry: the cheekily named Big Gay Ice Cream Truck, which will be rolling through the Village, Chelsea and Brooklyn soon.

Owner/ice cream connoisseur Doug Quint told Serious Eats about his decision to go with such an open name:

"Let's face it, ice cream trucks are kind of queer, and a middle-aged white man driving one is pretty suspect. That's not to say that I'm a rolling hotbed of perversion. Hardly the case. It's all in the name of silly."

All joking aside, the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck will be giving New York's mobile dessert scene a fancy-pants makeover with inventive flavors like Nutella, olive oil and sea salt, and bacon. Yes, that's bacon and ice cream together in one glorious food.

The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck takes off next week. We'll be the ones chasing it down the street.

Related Stories:
· The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck [Official Site]
· The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck, Launching Soon in NYC [Serious Eats]
· NYC's Food Trucks All Converge in One Place This Weekend [Jaunted]

[Photo: TBGICT] ]]> BS 2009-06-04T09:17:05-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/4/13/175730/274

· Luggage Flair: We saw this sticker on a suitcase belonging to a tween at McCarren International Airport in Las Vegas. Care to show off your own luggage flair? Drop a pic in the Jaunted Flickr Pool

· Sick of Losing Your Luggage: Budget Travel tested some luggage trackers. [Budget Travel]

· Kanye West in Trouble for LAX Pap Smackdown: Kanye West went berserk on some paparazzi outside the American terminal at LAX and has been charged with vandalism, battery and grand theft. His lawyer was in court today to win a delay for Kanye's arraignment. [TMZ]

· Good News for the Travel Industry: Gay travelers are still taking trips! [LAT]

· Call The Hotel Before You Get There: It may not be open anymore. [NY Times]]]> juliana 2009-04-13T17:59:54-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/