15 of the safest countries for LGBT travellers
Things have come a long way for LGBT people since the 1960s. First came the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967 in Britain; then the Stonewall uprising in New York City in 1969, which led to the Pride movement and paved the way for equal rights. Many countries have adopted legislation to protect and enshrine the rights of LGBT communities — but those rights earned in most of the western world are by no means universal. Although there are now more than 30 nations where same-sex marriage is legitimised, there remain some 60-odd countries where homosexual acts are illegal — sometimes with the most draconian penalties.
But where the rainbow flag has been raised, LGBT travellers can expect a holiday with no more cares about personal
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The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Getting saucy! Connecticut tourism bureau buys billboards in New York City to declare its pizza the best
Things are getting saucy in the Big Apple over pizza. Connecticut has waged a war against New York for the title of ' Pizza Capital of the United States' – with a series of aggressive billboards around New York City claiming The Nutmeg State's slice reigns supreme. Billboards from Connecticut's Office of Statewide Marketing and Tourism claiming 'The Nation's Best Pizza – Not you, New York' have recently started popping up across parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The signs urge New Yorkers to 'tell us why CT pizza's #1' by calling 1-844-CTPIZZA or visiting to give a 'pizza' their mind. Some of the bold billboards were even positioned above New York City slice shops – including one positioned behind 2 Bros Pizza by Port Authority Bus Terminal, a likely strategic move to ensure commuters catch the message. Billboards were also stationed in high-traffic areas such as Times Square and Mott Street to egg on the rivalry between neighboring states. While New York is known for its thin crust or Sicilian slice, Connecticut has its own version of the thin crust that is more well-done than the New York version. Social media posts from Connecticut's tourism department packed more punch – with one reading 'Hey New York Pizza, There's No Shame in 2nd Place,' while others called out other cities and states with their own distinct pizza styles including New Jersey, Chicago and Detroit. While the signs were largely lighthearted, New Yorkers weren't taking the bait, with some taking to the Internet to call out Connecticut for being cheesy. 'Sounds like someone has an inferiority complex,' one Facebook user wrote underneath a photo of one of the billboards. 'They really do live in their own little bubble,' another added. One commentator chimed in: 'CT Pizza is garbage.' A commentator from Connecticut said the state should target lesser rivals, writing, 'I think New Haven pizza is the best, but we shouldn't be fighting with New York and New Jersey. We're all in the pizza belt. We should be fighting with Detroit and Chicago.' While some Connecticut residents lauded the claim, others were left flabbergasted. 'That is BS!! We are NOT the pizza capital of the world!!' one Facebook user said. The bold advertising strategy comes less than a year after Connecticut implemented several 'Welcome to Connecticut: Home of the Pizza Capital of the United States' signs throughout the state. Connecticut tourism officials said they also hope to implement the marketing move in other pizza hubs in hopes to get more visitors coming to the state.
Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Telegraph
High-tax Britain ‘is driving away tourists'
Tourists are increasingly avoiding Britain because of high taxes and travel fees imposed by Rachel Reeves, an industry chief has warned. Julia Simpson, the chief executive of the World Travel and Tourism Council, said an increase in air passenger duty (APD), new visa fees, high VAT and the National Insurance raid on employers were undermining the sector, which contributes 10pc of GDP. Chinese and Indian tourists are 'massively on the move' and will drive the industry in coming decades, but are being put off visiting the UK because of the so-called tourist tax, she added. Ms Simpson, who is a former British Airways executive, said: 'The UK is absolutely taking travel and tourism for granted. The Treasury is imposing layer upon layer of taxes on a sector that is bringing money into the UK and is not at all a burden. 'We're definitely going to miss out. It's not just about money, it's about sending a signal that the UK is really a great place to visit and that they welcome visitors. 'If the Chancellor is looking for growth, and growth that isn't in the public sector and is outside London, you've got to sell the UK.' Ms Reeves retained increases in APD – a tax unique to Britain – imposed by the Conservatives while announcing a further escalation that will apply from next year, lifting the duty to as much as £253 per person. That is on top of airport fees at Heathrow that rank as the world's most expensive. They are charged to airlines and passed on to customers while being regulated by the Government. Ms Simpson also questioned the wisdom of including Americans in the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) visa scheme, introduced to strengthen border security, the charge for which was raised to £16 last month. She said: 'Americans bring their dollars into the UK and love coming here. You've got to be smart. Just because someone puts something on you doesn't mean you've got to reciprocate.' Ms Simpson said the tourist tax, a decision to scrap tax-free shopping for international visitors taken by Rishi Sunak when he was chancellor, is proving a serious drag on visitor numbers from some countries. The Treasury has claimed that scrapping the exemption, which exposes visitors to a 20pc VAT rate that is itself higher than in most countries with which Britain competes for tourists, would cost £2bn. But campaigners have argued it may be losing the exchequer £11bn annually as it deters 2m tourists from visiting, according to research from the Centre for Economics and Business Research. Ms Simpson, who spoke at a tourism event in New Delhi, India, said the joint industry-government Visitor Economy Advisory Council, on which she sits, is making the case to the Treasury for a rethink. She said that Chinese tourists in particular will choose travel destinations based on shopping opportunities and that 'tax-free shopping is a big, big draw'. She said: 'I really hope they will bring it back. If it is so bad, why does France, which receives more visitors than anywhere else in the world, have tax-free shopping? Why does Italy?' Ms Simpson accused the Treasury of using narrow definitions when assessing the benefits and costs of the situation, adding: 'I'm very sorry to say, but the UK Government is currently being run by Treasury officials instead of politicians who we've elected.' A cut of about 50pc in funding for Visit Britain, the national tourism agency, will compound the situation, she said. Ms Simpson warned that the Government is putting up barriers to foreign visitors at a time when domestic tourism is struggling to recover to pre-Covid levels. She said that boycotts of the US by Canadians and Mexicans amid Donald Trump's trade wars are likely to see China overtake America as the world's biggest tourism market earlier than expected.
Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Telegraph
Residents ‘living in fear' as UK flight paths set for overhaul
Residents near British airports are 'living in fear' as the Government prepares to overhaul flight paths for the first time in 70 years. The Department for Transport (DfT) says the plans to modernise UK airspace will deliver quicker, quieter flights and promote growth in the aviation sector. However, campaign groups say that the changes could create more noise pollution for communities near airports, including areas that do not currently fall beneath existing flight paths. Here is everything we know about the proposed 'skyways', including how they could impact holidaymakers and residents. Why are flight paths being redrawn? Britain's air corridors date back to a time when aircraft navigated the skies using ground-based beacons. In the 1960s, Britain's air traffic grew from one million to 15 million passengers per year, meaning airports had to establish set arrival and departure routes. Many of these are still in place today, meaning flight routes designed for Comets are now being flown by Airbus A380s and Boeing 787s. Some of the problems in UK airspace include a requirement for aircraft to ascend in steps after take-off, complex routing, and pilots having to delay descents to manage the workload of their air traffic control colleagues on the ground. Announcing plans to overhaul the UK's air corridors, Mike Kane, the Aviation Minister, said: 'Redesigned 'skyways' will turbocharge growth in the aviation industry, not least by boosting airport expansion plans and supporting job creation, driving millions into the UK economy as part of the Plan for Change. 'Modernising our airspace is also one of the simplest ways to help reduce pollution from flying and will set the industry up for a long-term, sustainable future.' What will this mean for holidaymakers? If delivered as promised, a modernised airspace system will equate to fewer delays and quicker flight times. It is also potentially good news for passengers with an eye on their carbon footprint. The DfT says that allowing aircraft to use modern navigation technologies will boost efficiency and reduce the need for pilots to enter holding patterns before getting permission to land on busy runways. In September 2024, easyJet released a report on the ineffectiveness of the UK's airspace systems. The airline said that seven of its 10 least efficient routes occur inbound into London Gatwick, and that its UK operations had the 'greatest inefficiencies' of anywhere in Europe. In total, easyJet predicts that airspace inefficiencies across Europe increased CO2 emissions by 663,710 tonnes per year. Martin Rolfe, CEO of NATS (National Air Traffic Services), said: 'The UK's airspace network is one of the busiest and most complex in the world. We handle a quarter of Europe's traffic despite having only 11 per cent of its airspace, with one of the best safety and delay records anywhere. However, we have to modernise airspace if we are to maintain this level of performance as traffic grows towards 3 million flights per year.' Could my local area be negatively impacted? It is unknown how the new 'skyways' will be drawn. One possibility is that aircraft approaching airports could be channelled into new, relatively narrow highways in the sky. If this is the case, some communities near airports might see a greater number of planes flying overhead. But groups close to the process say hard information is thin on the ground. A spokesperson for Stop Heathrow Expansion told The Telegraph: 'The only documents we have seen recently relate to the outcome of the consultation on a UK airspace design service, which appear to be concerned with the way changes will be made, rather than the changes themselves.' Sally Pavey, the chair of the campaign group Campaign Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE), says: 'There is a real lack of transparency in this process. Residents currently overflown, and those not, are totally unaware of the motorways being designed above their homes that will purely benefit aviation as no compensation being offered with this process.' 'Residents must live in fear of what is being planned for above their heads and homes,' she added. Paul Becker, Policy Director at Heathrow Noise Action Plan (HACAN) says: 'This announcement means even longer periods of uncertainty before overflown communities receive any clarity on what changes will take place to flight paths. 'The development of new flight paths will mean communities across London and the South East [will be] adversely impacted by aircraft noise for the first time. It is also possible that currently overflown communities experience an increase in the intensity of noise they endure as well as more frequent noise disturbances, particularly if expansion at Heathrow goes ahead.' All airports taking part in the airspace change process are following a process which includes stakeholder input and public consultation, details of which are published on the Civil Aviation Authority's website. When will the airspace redesign happen? The latest announcement (made on June 2, 2025) confirms that the DfT will develop a UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) alongside the CAA, to be managed by the UK's air traffic management service NATS. This is expected to be operational by the end of 2025. It is understood that changes to London's airspace are unlikely to be complete until the 2030s, although new 'skyways' around airports outside of the capital could be in operation before the end of the decade.
