Latin America's largest air carrier has expanded their horizons by tapping the lucrative LGBT travel market and launching a full travel website devoted to gay travel in South America. LAN Airlines' fresh site is an extension of the main page for the airline, but has features to celebrate the diversity that the continent offers to gay and lesbian travelers.

Believe it or not, LAN isn't the first airline to be as open online as they are open-minded; they join the ranks of Delta, Virgin America and Southwest in their commitment to inclusion. The carrier also will be a competitor for American Airlines, which consistently takes top honors as "Best Airline" to the gay community.]]> jetflyboy 2012-01-19T15:05:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/8/13/10139/9128

It's by no means an exaggeration to say that the Bay Area has an arts festival for just about every genre, sub-genre and sub-sub-genre, so it's no surprise that there's an Oakland International Black LGBT Film Festival.

This year's festival runs August 14-17 and includes "Shirts and Skins," a documentary about a gay basketball team, an opening night screening of the 1975 Diana Ross movie "Mahogany" and a Saturday performance from Donna Summer.

The movies all screen at the Parkway Theater, a classic-style 1920's movie house on Park Boulevard where you can grab pizza and beer while you watch.

Related Stories:
· Oakland International Black LGBT Film Festival [Official Site]
· Film Festival Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> BS 2008-08-13T14:05:09-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/22/132853/146

Sapphic sightseers, delight: A judge has dismissed the lawsuit brought against a Greek national LGBT group regarding the use of the word "lesbian," which was decided by the court to not refer generally to the residents of the island of Lesbos. The plaintiffs even faced a mutiny among islanders, some of whom credited the legend of Sappho with boosting tourism to the island.

Coming on the heels of the tempest in a teapot that was the proposed "South Carolina Is So Gay" ads, European tourists at whom the US ads were aimed should go to Greece instead. If you're not sold, see "Mamma Mia!"--a good time for gay and straight alike.

Related Stories:
· Frivolous Lawsuit Travel: Greek Island Not Pro-Gay Rights [Jaunted]
· Court Rules Lesbians Are Not Just from Lesbos [Reuters]
· A new Tourism Ad Creates an Uproar [Newsweek]
· Movie Set Travel: "Mamma Mia!" [Jaunted]
· LGBT coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: John and Mel Kots]]]> egw 2008-07-22T13:50:21-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/8/25436/92913

From those clever Scandinavians who pioneered slow flying instead of adding extra fees for passengers comes another innovative idea: an airline website specifically for gay customers.

SAS Airlines has just launched its LGBT site which includes tips from its own gay crew members on good places to hang out in (so far) Copenhagen and Stockholm.

SAS is a major player in the World Out Games being held next year in Copenhagen, and it's also promoting the Stockholm tenth anniversary Pride Parade coming up later this month. We are definitely starting to look to SAS as trend-setters.

Related Stories:
· SAS Airlines LGBT Life [Official Site]
· Scandinavian Alternative to Nasty Baggage Fees [Jaunted]
· SAS Airlines Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: virtualpilot88]]]> amandak 2008-07-10T17:45:14-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/6/6/153631/5363

The Democratic National Convention won't happen till the last weekend in August, but campaign staffers were finally able to take a brief travel break with the media anointing of the Democratic nominee for president.

While political road warriors take a break, we're thinking ahead to the convention--and the delightful Dems coming to the Mile High City. Drinking liberally? Try dating liberally:

Hambrger Mary's :: Tasty burgers and stalk-y patrons tantalize at this LGBT-friendly restaurant with a full bar. 700 E. 17th Ave.]]> egw 2008-06-06T16:30:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/6/3/141543/9408

Looking to celebrate Pride Month out of town? Look into Pride Toronto, which is so much more than a march: Held June 20 to 29--that's right, over two weekends!--the citywide celebration includes such diverse events as a Mount Olympus-themed gala featuring comedian Sandra Bernhard, a party hosted by Limelight head honcho Peter Gatien and a ceremony to honor the Grand Marshal and co-chair of Jamaica's first LGBT organization.

As in many affairs of state, Canada has so far led the US as a whole in recognizing the rights of its gay and lesbian citizens, from a minister of justice's statement in 1969 that "the state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation" to legalizing same-sex marriage in 2005.

Toronto's first pride event was held in 1970, and the mayor himself will be in attendance this year.

Related Stories:
· Pride Toronto [Official Site]
· LGBT Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo from Pride Toronto 2006: mangomargarita]]]> egw 2008-06-03T16:00:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/5/28/1281/89653

If Betsy Ross and Ben Franklin were alive today, for what cause would they advocate? The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation thinks they'd join gay and lesbian Pennsylvanians in a new promotion called "We Your People," which encourages LGBT travelers to look at the City of Brotherly Love when making those summer travel plans.

The campaign also has help from Southwest Airlines and is timed not-at-all-coincidentally with Gay Pride festivities in many cities. (Philly's Pride Day Parade is June 8.) Local business owners, boutique moguls and even one journalist (Philadelphia Gay News founder Mark Segal) are helping the GPTMC spread the word that Philly is a LGBT-friendly destination.

And the poster children are getting something for their trouble: Campaign spokesman Matthew Izzo reports getting fan mail, site traffic and MySpace and Facebook requests aplenty since getting involved. Since we're feeling the love, too, we've got a video with Izzo right after the click.]]> egw 2008-05-28T13:00:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/