Unveiled: Inspiring Gay Travel Awards Winners

GayTravel has announced the inspiring winners of the latest Gay Travel Awards.

Described as the Oscars for LGBTQ+ travelers, the Gay Travel Awards support and promote LGBTQ+ travel and tourism by identifying and rewarding select destinations, properties, events, influencers and other organizations that “exemplify a spirit of inclusiveness and hospitality excellence.”

Barcelona and San Francisco scooped the city destination awards, while Canada’s Banff and Lake Louise won the award for the best LGBTQ+ mountain destination. Aruba won the award for the best LGBTQ+ beach destination category, while Hawaii’s Kauai and Oahu scooped the wedding and family destination awards, respectively. This year’s airline winner is Delta Airlines, while the top hotel categories feature brands like the Ritz Carlton and the Marriott. See below for the full list.

"This year has been another challenging one for travelers. With the pandemic ebbing and flowing across the globe and the uncertainty related to the latest Omicron variant, many are restricted from traveling or waiting for a safer time,” commented GayTravel Chief Visionary Officer Steve Rohrlick. “The Gay Travel Awards affords us all a moment to focus on the industry's best as a prologue to getting back out there."

“These distinguished winners lead by example and inspire other inclusive companies and brands,” he added. “Every year, The Gay Travel Awards offer something to look forward to while inspiring future travel.”

Returning for its sophomore year, "The Gay Travel Influencers" category consists of creators who inspire travel with their inclusive spirit, a drive for diversity, and a desire to change the world for the better.

The 2021 Gay Travel Awards Winners by category (in alphabetical order), include:

AIRLINE
Delta Airlines, Atlanta, Georgia

BED & BREAKFAST/ INN
Banff Ptarmigan Inn, Alberta, Canada

CAR RENTAL
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, St. Louis, Missouri

DESTINATION, BEACH
Aruba, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean

DESTINATION, CITY (US)
San Francisco, California

DESTINATION, CITY (NON-US)
Barcelona, Spain

DESTINATION, FAMILY
Oahu, Hawaii

DESTINATION, ISLAND
Puerto Rico, Caribbean

DESTINATION, MOUNTAIN
Banff & Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

DESTINATION, NATURE
Costa Rica, Central America

DESTINATION, WEDDING
Kauai, Hawaii

FAN-FAVORITE
Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf, Boston, Massachusetts

GAY TRAVEL INFLUENCERS
@michaelandmatt

HOTEL, BEACH
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

HOTEL, BEST VALUE
AC Hotel, Guadalajara, Mexico

HOTEL, BOUTIQUE
Moxy NYC Chelsea, New York

HOTEL, CASINO
San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Puerto Rico

HOTEL, CITY NON US
W Mexico City, Mexico

HOTEL, CITY US (TIE)
Fairmont Austin, Texas
San Francisco Marriott Marquis, California

HOTEL, FAMILY
Orlando World Center Marriott, Florida

HOTEL, GOLF
Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort, Playa Herradura, Costa Rica

HOTEL, HONEYMOON
Saii Lagoon Maldives, Maldives Islands

HOTEL, LGBTQ+ SCENE
Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa, Florida

HOTEL, LUXURY
Zadún, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, San José del Cabo, Mexico

HOTEL, MOUNTAIN
W Aspen & The Sky Residences at W Aspen, Colorado

HOTEL, PET FRIENDLY
XV Beacon Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts

HOTEL, SPA & WELLNESS
Carneros Resort and Spa, Napa, California

HOTEL, TROPICAL HIDEAWAY
The Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands

HOTEL, WEDDING
W Punta de Mita, Mexico

LODGE/RANCH
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, California

PRIDE (NON US)
Pride Amsterdam, Netherlands

PRIDE (US)
Pride Northwest, Portland, Oregon

TOUR OPERATOR
Voyemo, Worldwide

GayTravel (GayTravel.com) connects the LGBTQ+ community with gay-friendly destinations, hotels, cruises, tours, events, entertainment, attractions, clubs, and restaurants worldwide. Their mission is to provide the community with safe, welcoming, and curated recommendations for the LGBTQ+ community.