There is something for gay and lesbian travelers on every continent on the planet. Just like with any other client, it all depends on what the individual wants from his or her next trip. The following are several characteristics that you will often find in a gay friendly destination:
* A large open gay and lesbian resident population.
* Equal (or nearly equal) political rights for gay residents.
* Few reported incidents of discrimination or attacks against gays and lesbians, and few or no reports of government infringement on the civil rights of gay citizens.
* An extensive infrastructure of gay-owned businesses, including shops, restaurants, bars, clubs newspapers, and accommodations.
* Additional businesses that are not necessarily gay-owned but actively encourage patronage by gay and lesbian travelers.

TOP GAY DESTINATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES
CALIFORNIA - San Francisco, Palm Springs, West Hollywood
DELAWARE - Rehoboth Beach
FLORIDA - Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Miami / South Miami
HAWAII
MASSACHUSETTS
NEW YORK

TOP GAY DESTINATIONS ABROAD
AFRICA - Cape Town, South Africa
ASIA/PACIFIC - Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific Islands, Bangok, Manila, Thailand, Hong Kong, Bali, Vietnam
CANADA - Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver
EUROPE -
* France - Paris, Lyon, Nice Provence, Cote d' Azur, Toulouse

* Italy - Rome, Florence, Venice (Italian tourism does not
actively market to the gay community).

* Britain - In Britain, a number of legal measures currently are being passed or are being considered for passage to protect gay and lesbian citizens. London, Brighton, and Manchester are some of the better-known hubs for gay life. London hosts many gay-popular events, including the Mardi Gras and Pride March every July. The annual Brighton Festival, in May, is England's largest annual gay and lesbian event. And gay and lesbian communities are vibrant throughout the country, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Newcastle.

* Spain - Madrid, Barcelona. Sitges, on Spain's eastern coast, is a charming beach resort town that during the summer months, triples its population as gay and straight vacationers come to enjoy the sand, sun, and excitement. And Ibiza, an island some 50 miles east of the coast, promises the allure of a historic walled city as well as an active gay nightlife with packed bars and discos until all hours of the morning.

* The Netherlands - Gay people in Holland enjou the benefits of marriage rights, and same-sex marriages are legally recognized on an equal footing with heterosexual unions - which says a lot about how the desitnation feels about gay and lesibian travelers, too.

* Germany - Gay marriage is legal in Germany, yet another sign of a nation that creates a welcoming environment for its gay and lesbian citizens as well as for tourists. In cities, such as Munich, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, and Franfurt, gay venues are mostly concentrated in tow or three neighborhoods. In Berlin and Cologne, which the tourist office recommends as the most prominent gay and lesbian destinations, there are gay neighborhoods throughout the city.

LATIN AMERICA
* Mexico - Puerto Vallarta has gay beaches, accommodations, nightlife, and other businesses, and it has long been popular with gay and lesbian travelers. Nearly ervey major city in Mexico has a local gay scene, but the most popular with visitors from the United States (after Puerto Vallarta) include Cancun, where large resorts rule; Acapulco, which has some gay-owned small properties and its own gay beach; Mazatlan, which has a growing number of gay and lesbian nightclubs and a historic city center. Away from the shore, gay popular destinations include Mexico City and Guadalajara.

* Puerto Rico - Puerto Rico is the most gay-popular destination in the Caribbean. Its infrastructure includes gay accommodations and nightlife, plus the draw of history, culture, and lovely gay-popular beaches. For visitors, most of the gay and lesbian action is centered around the capital city of San Juan, and exciting tropical port with gay-owned and gay-friendly accommodatins as well as plenty of upscale mainstream options.

* Costa Rica - The most popular destination in Central America with gay and lesbian travelers and one of the tip gay and lesbian destinations in this hemisphere, Costa Rica has gay- and lesbian-owned accommodations and businesses in the capital, and along the Pacific coast. Visit www.gay costarica.com.

* Brazil - Brazil offers a number of destinations with gay and lesbian infrastructures, most famously in Rio de Janiero. Both Rio and Sao Paulo host massive gay pride celebrations in June.