COVER PHOTO: Marcha LGBT pride march in Bogota. Photo by Diego Cambiaso on Visual hunt.
Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, almost no one is traveling now. That goes for LGBTQ travelers as much as anyone else. For a recent article I wrote for Passport Magazine, I investigated the benefits of thinking about travel and planning future vacations, even during trying times like these. One of the people I interviewed, Abraham Bravo — director of London-based travel company Travelisto — made some interesting predictions about what Latin American destinations will be the next hot LGBTQ vacation destinations.
“For travel in Latin America, the top 3 destinations will be Panama, Colombia and Cuba,” Bravo predicted. Here’s why each of these fascinating Latin American vacation destinations will attract more LGBTQ travelers, in Bravo’s own words.
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• Panama is still fighting for equality in a country with strong traditional religious beliefs. However, it has numerous underground LGBTQ bars and private parties, including a monthly rooftop party hosted in top hotels, and there are local LGBTQ tours and guides available. The reason why Panama will become more popular in the next year is because it has nothing to envy to its neighbouring Costa Rica, it has similar levels of biodiversity and species that can be seen in the wild. On top of that it has wonderful beach resorts like Bocas del Toro plus its capital is a mixed of traditional colonial style and the most developed skyscraper-packed skyline, with lots of things to do around the old town, the Canal and its markets. Also, Panama City is a super important air hub, almost comparable to Atlanta, Amsterdam or Dubai, which facilitates cheap airfares almost from anywhere within the United States, and it can also be the perfect two-day stopover on the way to another destination.
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DON’T MISS: These Latin American Countries are Safer for LGBTQ Travelers Than Some Parts of Europe
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• Colombia has changed dramatically over the last few years and managed to change the bad reputation of the past. You may be surprised to read that its capital, Bogota, has a lesbian woman as its sitting mayor, which has made history. Since it was named the best emerging LGBTQ destination back in 2017, the government has invested heavily in promotional campaigns and created a Colombia LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce to attract more travelers. The results can already been seen, and Colombia has a busy calendar of LGBTQ activities throughout the year from Pride to Pink Cinema Week, to Equality Week. Also, Colombia has been so unexplored until recently, that it is shocking how little the general public know about it apart from streaming series about the drug cartel. However, this wonderful country surprises first for the kindness of its peoples and for absolute jewels like Cartagena’s UNESCO Heritage Old Town, paradise Caribbean islands like San Andres and Providencia (yes, they are in the Caribbean Sea around 200 miles south of Jamaica!), lastly its culinary is diverse and delightful.
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• One of my personal all-time favorites is Cuba. It’s one of the safest destinations for all tourists in the world, period. In 2018, the country was awarded the title of Safest Travel Destination. The LGBTQ bars and clubs are primarily in Havana and Santa Clara, where you can have a lively nightlight scene every weekend, including drag shows and parties. Despite all of the confusion, U.S. citizens can still legally travel to Cuba. Our absolute favourite is King Bar in the Vedado neighborhood of Havana; it’s a trendy and cozy small venue with a great variety of local and international music combined with great cocktails and separate restaurant known for its vegetarian options. Another reason to travel to Cuba is Fabrica de Arte Cubano, or FAC, which would be worth visiting even if it is the only thing you do while in Cuba. This “Cuban Art Factory” is a complex of various art exhibitions, several music and performing stages, cinema projections, bars and restaurants including one of the best rooftops in the city. Every few months the art exhibitions are completely renovated with works from local artists of all sorts: painters, photographers, sculptures, every artform. Every weekend there will be concerts, DJ’s, and open spaces for the most buzzing and eclectic crowds. This is an absolute must-visit whether you prefer an early quiet evening visit or stay up the entire night out.
Regarding places to stay in Cuba, there are some interesting places to check out. In a bold move to showcase how open and egalitarian Cuban society wants to be, last year an adults-only LGBTQ resort opened in one of the most paradisiac beaches in Cuba, Gran Muthu Rainbow in Cayo Guillermo. This property is operated by MGM Hotels which also runs three other properties in the country, as well as in Spain, the U.K. and France. Another LGBTQ hotel has been announced in Havana old town in 2020; in this case the hotel operator will be Axel Hotels, which is an already established household name with LGBTQ hotels in the most popular European cities. Axel Hotels will run a truly landmark property, Hotel Telegrafo.
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Many thanks to Abraham Bravo for sharing his LGBTQ travel tips and insight. You can see more about his company’s offerings by visiting the Travelisto Website.