SPARTACUS publishes Gay Travel Index

128 countries are under scrutiny: Sweden is the gay-friendliest country in the world Egypt is one of the most hostile. Berlin. Today the Spartacus Internationally Gay Guide published its Gay Travel Index. The international travel guide for the gay community, which has been published on an annual basis for the last 40 years, informs its readers about the legal situation for gays and lesbians in each of the 128 countries listed in the guide. The editorial staff stands in regular contact with the Foreign Office, the foreign embassies in Germany as well as LGBT-(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-gender) activists from around the world. 15 Assessment Categories In the new Gay Travel Index we include factors other than the current legal position for homosexuals. These factors are for example the state of gay marriage and adoption or the entry restrictions for HIV-positive people as well as religious influence on governments, the ban of Pride parades and specific marketing activities for gay and lesbian tourists , according to the editor in chief Briand Bedford. The Index has a total of 15 assessment categories with negative and positive points in each category. The maximum score is 9 points. And the winner is: Sweden With an index of 9 points and with it the maximum number of points possible, Sweden is at the top of the list. An exemplary anti-discriminatory legislation, gay marriage and adoption for gay couples make Sweden the most gay-friendly destination worldwide. Just behind Sweden: Belgium and the Netherlands which share the second place, each with 8 points, Iceland and Canada are ranked third with 7 points.

Iran at the bottom of the list With-14 points Iran is at the bottom of our Gay Travel Index. The ban of homosexuality by law, capital punishment for homosexuals which is carried out, murders of gays and an extremely high religious influence make this country a place a danger life and limb for gay men. The United Arab Emirates, Jamaica, Nigeria, Jordan, Russia, Egypt and Malaysia are at the bottom of our list of gay-friendly travel destinations. An exception the USA Due to the different legislation in the different US states, we have complied an individual Gay Travel Index for each of the 50 states. Here New York and Massachusetts - thanks to their specific advertising to attract gay and lesbian visitors - have a better ranking than Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut The states Alabama and North Carolina land at the bottom of our list. Winner of the year: New York City, loser of the year: Hungary Due to the legalization of gay marriage in the US federal state New York, this is one of the raising states and could move forward to reach the top position as the friendliest US states for homosexual tourists. One country which has dropped in our rating this year is Hungary. With a constitutional amendment pasted in 2011 marriage was defined as a partnership between a man and a woman exclusively. In addition the rights of minorities, freedom of the press as well as measures against anti-discrimination were omitted or weakened as a result of this amendment. Subject to scrutiny: India, California and Turkey Ongoing discussions about the legalization of gay marriage in California or the recent call for a ban of homosexuality in the Indian parliament make it necessary to keep an eye on certain countries and regions , according to SPARTACUS editor in chief Bedford. Alone the example India shows that sometimes legislation, religion and public opinion do not stand in harmony with each other. Also with the candidate awaiting entry into the European Union Turkey we must watch all future developments in a country in which there are no antidiscrimination laws or equal rights for homosexuals. Gay Travel a growing market If one goes out from the conservative estimate that 5-percent of the population are homosexuals, the turnover for the travel market from this special interest group would correspond in the season 2011/12 to at least 1.1 billion Euros. For the US-American market the company Community Marketing, resident in San Francisco estimates this market at around 50 billion dollars. At the beginning of the year German tour operator Dertour introduced an own 100 page catalogue with the title "Gay Travel". At this year's travel fair ITB in Berlin the segment Gay and Lesbian Travel was represented in hall 2.1 together with the Internationally Gay and Lesbian Travel Association IGLTA, Dertour, Spartacus International Gay Guide and others, including the tourism offices of Brazil and Argentina. The Gay Travel Index as complete chart is available as download at www.spartacusworld.com/gaytravelindex.pdf
Yours sincerely Helmuth Tuber PR Manager Helmuth.Taeuber@brunogmuender.com Daniel Huschert Press Department Daniel.Huschert@brunogmuender.com