Ed Salvato is an LGBTQ travel expert, published author, occasional instructor at NYT Tisch School and Temple and chief content officer of ManAboutWorld gay travel magazine and HospitableMe (strategy, content marketing & LGBTQ training). Read his bio. Post a comment below or send an email. SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LATEST POSTS, STORIES & PIX.
Konnichiwa from Kyoto, Japan! For thousands of years, Kyoto was the cultural center and capital of Japan — and It shows. Kyoto boasts expansive temples and a deep sense of tradition. As Kyoto modernized, it never lost its sense of culture and history, making it a fascinating example of modern and ancient Japan living side by side.
Join Trav’lin Tom for a fun, fast-paced tour of temples, bamboo groves, food markets, and even Japanese karaoke.
Tom Goss is a ManAboutWorld global correspondent. He travels with his husband, Mike, all around the world and sends us these video updates. Click on his video and follow his KinosakeOnsen adventure. Follow Tom’s other video adventures here.
Tom is also a singer, songwriter, and filmmaker whose concerts and projects keep him constantly moving. When not traveling for work, Tom is usually traveling for fun. Check out his music at TomGossMusic.com and more Trav’lin Tom videos on YouTube.
Also connect with Tom on the following social media platforms:
Meet all of our Global Correspondents here. Subscribe to ManAboutWorld here and find insights from Tom, our global correspondents and the staff writers at the magazine Ed, Billy and Kenny.
We all know Montreal has a reputation for being a place of acceptance and inclusion, especially in Montreal’s Gay Village, which is is just east of downtown around Beaudry Metro station, running along Saint Catherine Street. Montreal’s Gay Village is where most of this year’s Pride activities will happen. Whether you are visiting for the parties or shows, you still need to know the best spots to get yummy cocktails and, of course, where to fill up. We got your covered! Here are the village’s top bars and restaurants:
Top 5 bars in Montreal’s Gay VillageSky Complex – This is the city’s most popular gay club/bar and it has several spaces, from a dance clue to a male strip bar, to a cabaret. The rooftop terrace is also amazing.
Bar Renard – This sexy cocktail bar and lounge has a great selection of spirits and happy hour.
Bar Aigle Noir – Traditionally, the Black Eagle bar for the leather enthusiast. The crowd is now getting more diverse serving up beer and drinks in a classic setup with guest DJs and a buzzy patio.
Stock Bar – One of the more popular male strip bars in Montreal where you can grab a drink and watch hot buff men dance around you!
Le Stud – Le Stud is more of a dive bar with cheap drinks and great happy hour.
Top 5 restaurants in Montreal’s Gay VillageO’Thym – Asophisticated French bistro that uses seasonal ingredients and has a relaxed, yet cute ambiance. You can also BYOB!
Saloon – This campy restaurant has a great outdoor terrace so that you can people watch. They also serve amazing martinis!
Kitchenette – Located just outside the village, in case you want to escape for a more intimate dining experience. They offer a great 5 course tasting menu where you choose 2 starters, 2 main dishes, and a shared dessert!
Bato Thai – A casual BYOB setting with the best Thai food in the area. This is a great place for a quick bite if you want something yummy but not too formal.
Le Red Tiger – Le Red Tiger offers Vietnamese affordable street food that is both delicious and unique. Portions are small but shareable, so order at least a few items per person.
Add a few, or all, of these spots to your list and you are bound to have an amazing trip. For more things to do and places to visit in Montreal, stop by www.asianmapleleaf.com
Beauty, the romantic town of Naples and the soaring height of Etna are just some of the treats in store for LGBT travelers making their way to this country — a gay-friendly jewel in the world. Here, we take a look at my 5 top Italy hot spots.
One of the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily is an autonomous region of Italy Places that also includes several smaller isles. Home to every great Mediterranean civilization, Sicily is rich in art and history; from Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples to Palermo’s Baroque churches.
The Romans were first to see the potential of the Italy lakes as a holiday destination. They built their sumptuous villas in some of the prime positions around Como and Garda, where the southern foothills of the Alps sweep down towards the Mediterranean and the fertile plains of northern Italy.
VeniceVenice never loses its capacity to enchant in Italy. There’s a reason why it’s popular: the sheer loveliness of an exquisite city that seems miraculously built on water. It’s important to remember Venice’s churches and museums offer antique glories aplenty, but there is also a vibrant art scene, even away from the Art Biennale.
Italy’s most famous region, Tuscany conjures images of beautiful rolling hills, olive groves, vineyards and cypress trees. The many pleasures of Tuscany include tasting wine in Chianti, simply relaxing in hill towns such as San Gimignano or exploring Renaissance art in Florence.
Naples, Italy birthplace of pizza has drawn many hungry visitors, including those hungry for culture: its historic center is the largest in Europe, covering over 4,000 acres and 27 centuries. Piazza Bellini, by day a quiet square with cafes to relax from the hustle and bustle in the nearby Via dei Tribunali, at night a popular hangout of young Neapolitans.\
Giuseppe Giulio, IGLTA member, is a Travel Design and Digital PR Specialist, who serves several tour operators, online magazines and startups reaching the LGBTA community using SEO, Web 2.0, Social Network marketing and Strategic Online Media Placement.
Shanghai literally means the city by the sea, and it is the gateway to China. There are endless things to do and see, like shopping in high-end venues for designer items, or stroll through the backstreets for photo opportunities… or to hunt for interesting trinkets and traditional Chinese handicrafts.
Read Barry’s Journey to Asia, Part 1: Discover Hong Kong.
Read Barry’s Journey to Asia, Part 2: Kuala Lumpur here.
Jing An Shangri-La – Located on the Puxi side of the Huangpu River in the Jing An Business District – one of Shanghai’s most prestigious and fashionable business and commercial districts. The hotel boosts spectacular 360-degree panoramic views of the city.
Peace Hotel – This has been a Shanghai landmark for over eight decades, enjoying a premier location on the Bund. The hotel faces the Pudong area over the Huangpu River, where you will find all the impressive high-rise buildings and towers.
Here are a few suggestions:
GAY NIGHTLIFEThere are not many gay bars in Shanghai, but here are a few top picks of places to go for a drink and to meet locals:
Did you know that most visitors require a visa to enter China? Want more information about this and the Transit Visa Exemptions? Visit asianmapleaf.comto read more about our adventures in Shanghai. Also, stay tuned for more of our ultimate must-see travel stops around the Globe.
Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia and a place where you will find a variety of cultures from the region, all living together in one city. There is Chinatown, Little India, Malay village and many more neighbourhoods. In this city, it is not uncommon to find a Muslim mosque, a Hindu shrine, a Christian church, and a Buddhist temple – all in the same area! Story and photos by ManAboutWorld correspondent Barry Hoy.
Click here to read Barry’s Journey to Asia Part 1: Discover Hong Kong.
And here is Journey to Asia, Part 3: Adventures in Shanghai.
Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur – Set in the heart of the city’s business and shopping district, and near major landmarks such as the Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur City Center. Despite it being right in the city centre, the hotel is still set amidst plenty of lush greenery, and has a good size outdoor pool and lounge area.
There are a lot of food options to try in Kuala Lumpur. Here are a few to wet your appetite!
THINGS TO DOMake sure you also visit the beaches and little towns outside of the city of Kuala Lumpur. The city itself offers some great food and sights, but it’s not a place where you would want to spend more than a weekend.
Gay sex is still technically illegal in Malaysia and punishable under a colonial-era sodomy law. Foreigners are generally safe from this, but caution is still recommended.
Want more information? Visit asianmapleaf.com and read more about our adventures in Kuala Lumpur. Also, stay tuned for more of our ultimate must-see travel stops around the globe.
Click here to read Barry’s Journey to Asia Part 1: Discover Hong Kong.
And here is Journey to Asia, Part 3: Adventures in Shanghai.
I didn’t get any photos of myself talking but my friends at Proud Experiences did, and they even quoted me! “You can’t provide personalized service to LGBTQ people if you don’t understand us.
For more information about the services we provide at HospitableMe please review the information on our website, highlighted below.
Strategy
Diverse travelers are shaping the future of travel in profound ways. LGBTQ travelers have been a highly profitable niche for many years — today they are even more important, as the way they are represented, welcomed and treated can brand a destination as modern, progressive and desirable to a much broader population of future customers.
As advocates for suppliers and consumers, our work starts with strategy to bridge where your business is today, to where it needs to be to welcome diverse travelers of all kinds in the future. With a keen understanding of the financial, political and community implications for tourism businesses, our recommendations are smart, creative, and actionable.
Marketing
With LGBTQ travel related spending reaching US $211 billion annually, there’s great value in target marketing to segments of the community. And there’s even more value in leveraging LGBTQ marketing and communications to reach allies and younger travelers. Many of our clients have strategic goals that go beyond increasing visitation by LGBTQ travelers. We help create communications programs that share a broader message about diversity and inclusion to position destinations and brands as modern, progressive and welcoming. We develop content marketing that leverages LGBTQ voices to elevate and align discussion around new and lesser known products, services and attributes. And we deliver LGBTQ consumers through programs on our own media (ManAboutWorld), third-party platforms including facebook and LGBTQ media, and your own platforms.
Training
We empower customer-facing professionals to engage with LGBTQ customers in authentic, intuitive and personalized ways. Our destination, company, and role-specific training provides knowledge and tools that enable
Our consumer travel-focused background is a unique advantage in understanding how diversity issues play out in real-world scenarios and building practical, meaningful competency among staff. Our onsite trainings are customized to your specific service paradigms and delivered to small groups of up to 25 employees per session. Friendly, interactive, and emotionally resonant, our sessions explore how ingrained notions of gender, sexual orientation and relationship status have shaped service paradigms, and how stripping away preconceptions and bias allows more engaged and authentic hospitality for all guests. By helping employees understand LGBTQ guests, they become more inclined to engage rather than retreat from interaction with them.
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