Travel with Pride to Celebrate LGBTQ+ People and Communities Around the World
Recent research from Booking.com*, the global leader in connecting travelers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, reveals that almost half (34%) of global travelers take social issues into account when choosing a holiday destination. In fact, more than a quarter (33%) of global travelers who are between 18 and 34 years old plan to travel to attend a Pride event in 2019. With the rise of these socially conscious travelers in mind and Pride Month (June) almost here, Booking.com is celebrating the many festivals and parades taking place around the globe to celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQ+) people and culture, as well as the impact that the LGBTQ+ community has had on the world. No matter how you identify and whether it’s your first or 50th Pride event, there’s always room at the party to celebrate love in all of its varied and wonderful forms. So pack your bags for a fabulous trip around the world and take note of Booking.com’s tips for some of the best places to stay along the way.
WorldPride New York 2019, New York City, USA
In 2019, New York City will play host to WorldPride and commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, which many consider as a pivotal watershed moment in the LGTBQ+ community’s fight for equality. The event, touted to be the biggest event of its kind in the world this year, will be marked with various rallies, art exhibitions, film screenings and lively parties sandwiched in between the celebrations that kick off on May 12 and culminate in the NYC Pride March on 30 June.
Where to stay: Considered to bethe birth place of the modern gay rights movement, New York City’s Greenwich Villiage is a playground of night clubs, dive bars and parties for the LGBTQ+ scene all year round. Located along the northern edge of the Village in the trendy Meatpacking District, The Standard, High Line New York is the perfect base for your NYC Pride adventures., This hotel boasts a roof terrace with a hot tub and every room features floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of either the city or river, perfect to take in the views that the city is famous for!!
Shanghai Pride, Shanghai
Kicking off with a Rainbow Bike Ride on May 18, Shanghai Pride hosts a number of events throughout the city until 16 June, including a Pink Brunch and Out & Equal conference. Shanghai Pride was first hosted in 2009 and was the first LGBT festival in China. Over the years the event structure and length has changed, but the event’s essence has stayed true to celebrating LGBTQ+ people and culture.
Where to stay: Shanghai’s growing gay scene has contributed to the city’s already vibrant night life, in particular at what is locally known as “the Gay Triangle” in the French Concession. Located at the heart of this trendy neighborhood, is the Sunshine Garden apartment. Offering city views and a terrace to relax on following a busy day at pride, this apartment is perfect for small groups with two bedrooms and a sofa bed available in the property’s living room.
EuroPride 2019, Vienna
Just like it’s world counterpart, EuroPride will also take place in June in Austria’s capital city, Vienna. Kicking off with Andersrum in Mariahilf, a festival near the famous Mariahilferstrasse, this two week event from 1 June to 16 June even includes movie nights, a 5K run and even a day at the beach. To top it all off, this year EuroPride is also looking for one lucky couple to get married during the festivities and treat them to a wedding of their dreams!
Where to stay: The City Center Schwedenplatz apartment is perfectly located in the Inner Stadt district of Vienna, perfect for travellers interested in culture, architecture and museums. There is a bustling LGBTQ+ scene in the Naschmarkt area, which is just a mile from the property for those looking to continue the pride party.
São Paulo Gay Pride Parade - São Paulo, Brazil
Originally touted as the world’s “largest pride parade” since securing a Guinness World Record for its 2006 event, this five-day event takes place on the Sunday after Corpus Christi each year – this year taking place 18 June to 23 June, 2019. In Sao Paulo the party starts weeks before though with everything from debates, plays, music concerts, dance performances, cultural fairs and street markets taking over the city for three weeks prior. The highlight for the event is the parade, which takes place on Sunday 23 June, and sees around 25 floats take to the streets. The starting point of the parade is in front of the Museum of Art of São Paulo, right in the heart of the city.
Where to stay: To carry on the fiesta after the parade, Sao Paolo’s Jardin area boasts a number of gay bars and clubs for LGBTQ+ travelers and allies. Just a short walk from the lively Paulista Avenue, the Lobo Urban Stay offers stylish shared accommodation with a shared kitchen and lounge that are perfect for hosting your own gathering, as well as being close to the São Paulo Gay Pride Parade starting point.
MADO Madrid Orgullo, Madrid, Spain
Starting on 28 June and continuing until 7 July, the MADO Madrid Orgullo pride event takes place in the Chueca district, one of the city’s most populargay neighborhoods. The event includes open air concerts, street celebrations and political discussions, concluding with the Madrid Pride parade which will welcome over two million attendees to march their way to the Plaza de Colón.
Where to stay: The B&B Hotel Madrid Centro Fuencarral 52 is just a short stroll from the Chueca metro station and found on a bustling, a fashionable street with many boutiques and restaurants. The B&B boasts a rooftop terrace where guests can take in views of the city and chill following a busy few days celebrating LGBTQ+ pride!
Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Sydney
While the 2019 event has already taken place, travelers can start planning now for next year’s Sydney spectacular, which will be celebrated on 29 February 2020! The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is one of the oldest continuously operating LGBTQ+ organizations in Australia and, taking place at the end of Australian Summer, the festival and parade are attended by hundreds of thousands of people from the country and overseas each year. The event culminates with a legendary parade down Sydney’s Oxford Street and a glittering afterparty with pop star performances.
Where to stay: Find yourself in the heart of the Mardi Gras action with an apartment stay at the Orange Stay Sydney CBD apartments. Located just off Oxford Street itself, this property is perfectly placed for spectating the passing parade and is also just over a mile from both the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
*Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of adults who have taken a trip in the last 12 months/plan to take a trip in the next 12 months. In total 21,500 respondents were polled (including 1,000 each from Australia, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, China, Brazil, India, US, UK, Russia, Indonesia, Colombia and South Korea; and 500 each from Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Croatia, Taiwan, Mexico, Netherlands, Sweden, Singapore and Israel). Respondents completed an online survey between 10th August to 30th August 2018.