Britain Is Alive With Pride: Top British Travel Ideas for LGBT Travelers

NEW YORK, NY - VisitBritain, the national tourist board for England, Scotland and Wales invites LGBT travellers to experience the color and diversity of Britain with a top list of things to do in 2011. To help visitors plan their vacation, VisitBritain has developed a new website, www.visitbrtiain.com/rainbow, with special itineraries for LGBT themed attractions, as well information on visiting Britain's many cultural, historic and culinary offerings.

The new website includes updated information on Britain's most popular and attractive destinations for the LGBT community - London, Brighton, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Newcastle-Gateshead, Manchester and Blackpool - including information on accommodations, arts and entertainment, food and beverage, shopping and the latest hot spots in nightlife.

Americans made three million visits to the UK in 2009 and spent US $3.3 billion (GBP �2.2 billion) - placing them in the UK's top three most important markets for visitors. Britain remains Americans' favorite long-haul destination.

VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, is responsible for inspiring the world to explore Britain and for developing the UK's visitor economy.
Visitors traveling to Britain can find out more information from visitbritain.us plus purchase money and time saving local transport, sightseeing, attraction, theatre and tour tickets from visitbritainshop.us

LGBT travellers accounted for 13% of total US spend to Britain in 2008, �307m. If the LGBT segment was a country it would rank as Britain's 16th most valuable market, ahead of India (�280m), China (�120m) and Russia (Russia �179m).

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LONDON

Pride London, July 2, 2011
Pride London is a colorful and vibrant celebration of the lives of LGBT people from around the world. Join in on the festivities across central London. The two week Pride festival in London uses theatre, music, debate, art and entertainment to raise awareness of discrimination and the issues and difficulties affecting the lives of LGBT people around the world.

The Parade itself attracts over 1,000,000 people. WorldPride, an international gathering of the LGBT community and its allies, is also taking place in London in 2012.
http://www.pridelondon.org/

Gay's The Word Bookshop:
Britain's only LGBT-dedicated bookstore, Gay's The Word offers stock in a variety of genres. These include queer studies, sex and relationships, fiction, history, children and parenting, and more. Regular book signings and author readings are also held here.
www.gaystheword.co.uk/

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Musical
Priscilla has won acclaim and praise since opening in London. This fabulous musical is an adaptation of the Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and brings together big personality, big comedy, and fantastic musical numbers. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert showcases glitz, glam and camp as it tells the story of two drag queens and a transsexual who book a gig in the middle of the Australian desert.
http://www.priscillathemusical.com/

Take a Guided Tour of LGBT Soho
This tour takes visitors on a historical journey through the modern-day streets of Soho in London. The guided tour exposes visitors to the history of notable figures who have called Soho home, including strides they made for LGBT rights.
http://www.kairosinsoho.org.uk/tours.asp

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ENGLAND

Brighton Pride, August 13, 2011
Brighton Pride takes over this seaside town for a week each summer, culminating in a flamboyant parade from the seafront to Preston Park and street parties on St James's St. It is the biggest free Pride festival in the UK. The summer festival runs for a whole week with a fabulous array of events and activities which conclude with the parade on August 13.
http://www.brightonpride.org/

Visit Canal Street in Manchester aka the "Gay Village"
Canal Street is the center of Manchester's Gay Village, with bars and restaurants lining it. It has become one of the premier LGBT travel destinations in all of Britain.

Close by, one can also take a hike along the Lesbian and Gay Heritage Trail, which highlights the locations of important and amusing stories from the city's LGBT past. Permanent rainbow tiles have been created by local artist Mark Kennedy and set into the sidewalk. The trail also highlights people like Quentin Crisp, Noel Coward, Edward Carpenter and Alan Turing.
http://www.visitmanchester.com/discover/lgbt.aspx#

Visit a Gay Beach in Blackpool
Nicknamed the "Gay capital of the North," Blackpool has much to offer LGBT tourists. Blackpool hosts an annual pride festival in June, with an array of top cabaret acts and a carnival parade. Blackpool has a LGBT-friendly reputation and there are a few gay beaches in the area. The nightlife scene is also a mix of camp, cabaret, and fun. http://www.prideblackpool.com

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SCOTLAND

Glasgay! October 21 - November 12, 2011
Glasgay! is Scotland's annual celebration of LGBT culture. The festival spans Glasgow and presents a professional program of top acts and new artists from around the world with events spanning comedy, music, film, theatre, visual art, performance art, literature, club nights, education events, community arts projects. Over the last three years the festival has grown in scale and profile with audiences climbing to just over 35,000 visitors in 2009.
http://www.glasgay.co.uk/home

Pride Scotia-May 7, 2011
Scotland's national celebration of the LGBT community, Pride Scotia is a community festival whose goal is to celebrate diversity and personal identity. The festival is run entirely by volunteers and includes the traditional pride march and rally, as well as live music, food, and a health and community fair. Pride Scotia is held every two years in Edinburgh.
http://www.pride-scotia.org

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WALES

Cardiff Mardi Gras, September 3, 2011
Preferring to call itself Mardi Gras rather than Pride reflects on the party at the heart of Wales's main LGBT celebration - yet there's still a sturdy political leaning, namely the ongoing fight against homophobia and struggle for the acceptance of diversity.
http://www.cardiffmardigras.co.uk/

Swansea Pride
Swansea Pride aims to gather participation from all sectors of the community in order to place emphasis on the equal representation of all people. With a main stage full of talented performers, a dance tent, bar, shopping stalls, rides and more, Swansea Pride is a good time with a message of tolerance and awareness.
http://www.swanseapride.com/

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LINK: www.visitbritain.com/rainbow