Israel tourism has been in an upward spiral over the last few years. Every year brings a new crop of travelers to the Jewish State—reflected in now-routine "this was the best tourism year ever" headlines—and they go home and tell their friends. That's how you end up with niche surveys about the popularity of Israel travel, like Israel being the number two destination for Russians.

Obviously part of Israel's tourism revolves around the country being a destination for religion travel. Jerusalem is and will remain by far Israel's most-visited destination (see our insidery tips for making the most of a Jerusalem visit here and here). But other parts of Israel are becoming famous for appealing to other demographics.

Forest-filled Haifa recently got the nod of being Israel's cleanest tourism city, part of a campaign to bolster green travel to and around Israel (El Al passengers flying from LHR to TLV can even purchase carbon off-sets).

And then there's Tel Aviv, which has just been voted the world's single best gay travel destination.]]> Omri 2012-02-01T13:39:21-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2012/1/18/33856/6653

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/2012/1/2/10365/53416

Happy New Year! Also, happy year that more same-sex couples will achieve equal (or at least equal-er) rights. Just yesterday, January 1, two more US states switched to legally recognizing and performing civil unions. These are Delaware and Hawaii. For the moment, let's focus on the latter.

Hawaii is the only US state west of the Mississippi River to allow same-sex civil unions. None have gone so far as marriage (the California Prop 8 debacle came closest) and what this means for gay couples is that their union—not just the honeymoon—can also happen in the Aloha State.

According to The Baltimore Sun/KTLA, the turning of the calendar immediately coincided with the law going in effect: ]]> JetSetCD 2012-01-02T12:05:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/12/13/01625/303

We're going to give it to you straight. There once was a time—not too long ago at all—that the north side Chicago neighborhood of Andersonville was known as an area where girls who like girls settled down and raised their kids and altogether made the area a desirable and safe place to stay forever. We're happy to report that the spirit of inclusiveness prevails, but a bloom of craft beer bars and brunch-happy restaurants have brought in a more mixed crowd and—dare we say it—tourists way tired of the Michigan Avenue crap.

Andersonville is where to come if you want to leisurely stroll while window shopping, sipping some excellent coffee and reminiscing about college with a friend you haven't seen in years. There will be occasional breaks to coo at babies in their strollers, pet Dachshunds in quilted tartan coats and impulse buy entire pieces of vintage furniture. God it's just so great when you really need to be in or are already in a warm and fuzzy mood, no matter the season.

Without further ado, our personally picked top spots to hit in Andersonville:]]> JetSetCD 2011-12-13T12:38:33-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/9/27/11524/3285

It was as we were in San Francisco the week before last, strolling the Castro, chuckling at the names of places like Rock Hard the shop, the Sausage Factory restaurant and Hand Job (the nail salon) that we got ourselves a little jolt of history.

At 575 Castro Street (next to Hand Job, in fact) is the center for the Human Rights Campaign of San Francisco. It also happens to be the former premises of Castro Camera, the shop belonging to Harvey Milk.

Milk, of course, was assassinated in 1978, having being elected to San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors as America’s first openly gay man in public office.

The HRC center has a little bit of everything – from striking campaign stats by the front door of state by state views of same-sex marriage, adoption, and housing laws, and a timeline of gay rights in San Francisco, to various items of clothing and souvenirs of San Francisco – all to a jaunty soundtrack of Madonna.]]> juliab 2011-09-27T11:30:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/9/15/61213/5058

"X" marks the spot...for a new gender choice on Australian passport applications. The change was recently made "under new guidelines to remove discrimination against transgender and intersex people," according to MSNBC and the Aussie government.

Think you'll be funny and choose "X" for yourself? Not so fast; this is serious stuff. Intersex people—those biologically not completely either sex—can choose the new option. But if you're just transgender, then be prepared to show a doctor's note to back up your identifying as such. And it'd also be wise to prepare yourself to explain the "X" under "gender" on your Aussie passport when you pass through immigration at certain countries.

That said, a move like this just inches the world ever closer to equality, kinda like when the US altered the old "mother" and "father" fields to just "parent 1" and "parent 2." ]]> JetSetCD 2011-09-15T10:28:29-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/7/25/17582/5698

This weekend, when the same-sex marriage law took full effect, allowing couples to actually say "I do," a record 659 marriage licenses were picked up in just one day. There will be plenty more of this, and you can bet the wedding industry in NY state is positively jumping with excitement. The race is one to have the coolest wedding venue, and although we've already talked up The Five Gayest Places to Get Married in NYC, we found three more:

· The New York Public Library Main Branch at Bryant Park.
C'mon. It's where Carrie from Sex and the City was originally supposed to marry Big, until he had second thoughts. She ended up at the court house with him in the end, but that doesn't mean you have to take the bare-bones approach as well. The Astor Hall is a must-see, even if you can't pony up the $$$$ to get married in it.

The NYPL is well known for their extensive research collection of LGBT literature, whose mass sum equals over 100,000 volumes and 300 archival collections. Highlights include works by "pivotal LGBT artists and cultural figures" such as William Burroughs, W. H. Auden, Virgina Woolf, and Charles Ludlum.]]> JetSetCD 2011-07-25T17:58:02-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/