The original article: "Where to Go in 2021" was published by Bloomberg Pursuits, and we wanted to share the Covid Resiliency information which we thought was very helpful. Below, we've pulled excerpts including 7 gay-friendly destinations from among the full list of 24 in the original article.
The global economy needs a travel rebound. You could use one, too. As soon as it’s safe, make your plans count with two dozen ideas to help heal the world one small step at a time.
Our network of global correspondents (Bloomberg Pursuits) has highlighted trips on every continent. And they all have a purpose: rebuilding communities, rediscovering local arts and culture, restoring the environment, rewilding the animal kingdom, or reinventing yourself in an intentional way.
Each destination includes proprietary insights on Covid-19 resiliency—including current viral loads, lockdown severity, and an overall score that indicates how well a country is faring in the fight against the pandemic. (Both the lockdown and overall scores are on a scale of 1 to 100, where available. Higher numbers represent stricter lockdowns and greater success.) We’ve also provided exclusive data from Google that shows month-by-month hotel pricing, so you’ll know when (and where) to look for good values.
Whether you decide to book now or later, there’s one guarantee: You won’t be the only one benefiting from your long-awaited getaway.
Leave No Trace in Costa Rica
When Costa Rica began its Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program in 1998, it was a world’s first. Today its Earth-friendly hotels have rippled into something of a global standard. And now they’re raising the bar higher. A massive overhaul of CST criteria planned for 2021 will inspire hoteliers to raise the bar higher and acknowledge those who already have.
The government released a carbon footprint calculator last November to encourage tourism offsets. It’s also moving to protect 30% of its land under official conservation programs and encouraging other countries to do the same.
Cover Photo Credit: Keel-billed Toucan in Costa Rica by Zdenek Machacek
For more Costa Rica-specific Covid-19 information from the WHO, click here.
Gay-Friendly Costa Rica Accommodations:
When you fly into Costa Rica, we suggest you stay at the gay-friendly Courtyard San Jose Airport Alajuela to get acclimated and explore San José while you're in a convenient location. Costa Rica is a diverse and beautiful country so you'll want to spend a good amount of time to see all of it. Here are GayTravel's top recommendations for places to stay along the way:
JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa
Punta Islita, Autograph Collection
The Westin Reserva Conchal Golf Resort & Spa
Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen
El Mangroove, Autograph Collection
Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort
Witness a New Renaissance in NYC
The city that never sleeps took a good nap in 2020. Now she’s waking up slowly, showing a side even the locals rarely see. Midtown is uncrowded, as are the museums—so have them to yourself while you can. Outdoor dining has energized every sidewalk and street corner; open-air theater and concerts will follow this spring. Although many fled to the burbs, the die-hards remain, doling out hot dogs, slicing lox, toiling in corner offices, and speed-walking in their masks through Central Park.
Hibernation has been lovely, but a big, bold new chapter is on the horizon. By May, Daniel Boulud will open a seafood-centric dining room with soaring 57-foot ceilings in the $3.14 billion One Vanderbilt supertall skyscraper across from Grand Central Terminal. The Frick Collection’s superb anthology of old masters will take up residence at the Met Breuer while its Fifth Avenue mansion undergoes a two-year, $160 million renovation.
For more New York-specific Covid-19 information from the CDC, click here.
Gay-Friendly NYC Accommodations:
For gay-friendly accommodations in the Big Apple, we suggest you Stay Pineapple New York! Or to get into the "Empire State of Mind," we suggest Archer Hotel New York.
Breathe New Life Into Reefs in the Maldives
Rising temperatures have made coral bleaching a pervasive and ongoing threat, ever since more than 90% of Maldivian reefs died out during the 1998 El Niño event. The trailblazing effort known as Marine Savers has been a critical lifeline for this ecosystem and inspired similar projects across the archipelago.
For more Maldives-specific Covid-19 information from the WHO, click here.
Gay-Friendly Maldives Accommodations:
If you are going to the Maldives, you'll want to do it right and dive right into the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa.
Affirm Ancient Wisdom in Western Canada
At the start of 2020, growth in Canada’s Indigenous travel sector was outpacing the country’s overall tourism activity, with 1 in 3 international visitors interested in such experiences.
In Banff National Park, Brenda Holder, a Cree guide, leads medicine walk workshops through her company, Mahikan Trails. Later this year, Nimmo Bay will introduce a set of activities led by native guides at its brand-new lodge in the Great Bear Rainforest.
For more Canada-specific Covid-19 information from the WHO, click here.
P.S. Banff & Lake Louise took first place in the 2019 GayTravel Awards!
Prevent Poaching in South Africa
It’s one thing to view animals from the safe confines of a safari Jeep—and yet another to venture out and get hands-on with conservation efforts. This type of close-up encounter is normally a five-figure proposition but is becoming more accessible throughout South Africa.
For more South Africa-specific Covid-19 information from the WHO, click here.
Gay-Friendly South Africa Accommodations:
To start off your conservation efforts, there is no finer choice than Cape Town's scenic oasis The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa. Poised above the Atlantic Ocean, the gay-friendly, 5-star boutique hotel is flanked by the majestic Table Mountain National Park, a World Heritage Site, and the Twelve Apostles mountain range. For planning purposes, so you'll know what to expect and can follow the local health protocols when you arrive, please stay up-to-date with their Safe Travels information.
Toast a Greener Future in California Wine Country
Four years of devastating fires haven’t dimmed Napa and Sonoma’s luster as one of the plushest, lushest—and greenest—wine regions around. Sonoma became the most sustainable viticultural area in the world in late 2019 after 99% of its vineyards were certified as such by third-party auditors.
Get in on the spirit with a zero-emissions vacation: Restrictions in Burgundy and Tuscany mean that bike trip operators including VBT, DuVine, and Backroads are doubling down on high-end Golden State adventures.
For more California-specific Covid-19 information from the CDC, click here.
Gay-Friendly Wine Country Accommodations:
If you are planning to pedal your way through Wine Country or drive along the country roads, then you'll want to be sure and reward yourself by staying at GayTravel Award-Winning Meadowood. They're taking reservations after March 31, 2021, and look forward to welcoming you back soon!
Bring Back the British Countryside
If the conversation around climate change usually focuses on curbing damage, an elite gang of eco-warriors with extremely good taste is going one step further: returning their land to its former glory. All across the U.K., aristocrats and wealthy landowners are using their estates for rewilding, focusing less on hunting parties and more on reintroducing native flora and fauna.
Financing the efforts isn’t easy, but tourism has emerged as the way forward.
Nowhere else in the world is Old World luxury and cutting-edge land conservation so tightly intertwined—though that may change as the European Union looks to ratify similar rewilding-inspired policies across the continent in 2021 and beyond.
Photo Credit: View from thelodgeashford last night at sunset. The clouds caught beautiful tones reflected over the lake #loughcorrib Shot with 85mm lens, 1/4 sec, f/16, ISO 100 using Canon EOS M50 Had to bring out the foreground a bit using lightroom mayo.ie tourismireland canonuk #digitalphotography
For more UK-specific Covid-19 information from the WHO, click here.
Ireland and England Countryside Gay-Friendly Accomodations
2020 Gay Travel Award winner, The Lodge at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland, is currently closed; however, it will surely be on our list of places to return later in 2021. The property is located within a 350-acre estate of Ashford Castle and overlooks the magical Lough Corrib.
Another quintessential countryside choice when it re-opens? The Summer Lodge Country House Hotel in Dorset, where you'll find smiles at every turn!
As you plan your future travel, we hope you find this information useful. Please see the full Bloomberg Pursuits article here.
