Gaycities, the world’s largest LGBT community-driven city guide and travel site, recently announced the nominees in its annual “Best of GayCities” awards program. (http://www.gaycities.com/best-of-2017/)
GayCities readers have until December 3, 2017 to vote for their favorites in 13 categories, ranging from best “Travel Instagrammer” to the “Most Welcoming City of 2017.” Winners will be announced on December 5. See the complete list of categories and nominees below.
Additionally, GayCities announced Joe D’Allesandro, CEO of San Francisco Travel, as the winner of the 2017 “Travel Innovator” Award. GayCities honors D’Alessandro for his career promoting LGBTQ tourism first to the city of Portland, where he was CEO of the Portland Oregon Visitors Association for a decade. In 2006, he was named president of SF Travel, where Joe’s vision, leadership and commitment to welcoming LGBTQ travelers from across the globe make him the ideal recipient of this year’s honors.
2017 award categories and nominees:
Most Welcoming City
San Francisco, Chicago, London, Mexico City, New Orleans, New York
City That Makes You Happy
Nice, Palm Springs, Buenos Aires, Puerto Vallarta, Vancouver, Key West
Travel Instagrammer
Two Bad Tourists, Nomadic Boys, Natalia Danttas, Blake Sterling, Danny Boy Travel, Kasedna Travel
Foodie Paradise
Paris, Bangkok, San Francisco, Brooklyn, Barcelona, Philadelphia
Fun in the Sun
Las Vegas, Orlando, Gran Canaria, Provincetown, Miami, Sydney
Bar/Club
Berghain (Berlin), G-A-Y Bar (London), Eagle Bar (SF), Good Friends (New Orleans), Boxers (NYC), The Abbey (LA)
Travel YouTuber
Marco in a Box, Davey Wavey, Fiona Solis, Courtney Act, Matthew & Ryan, Allie & Sam
Hotel Experience
Renaissance Vinoy (St. Pete), Axel Hotel (Barcelona), Four Season (Maui) Palomar, Washington, D.C., Bellagio (Las Vegas), St. Regis (New York)
Singles Scene
Fort Lauderdale, Portland (Oregon), Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Seattle, Montreal
Neighborhood
Wilton Manors (Fort Lauderdale), Oak Lawn (Houston), Capitol Hill (Seattle), West Hollywood, Boystown (Chicago), Gayborhood (Philadelphia)
Romantic Getaway
Amsterdam, Montreal, Barcelona, Paris, Manchester, Reykjavík
Festival Destination
Stonewall 50, New York, Tel Aviv Pride, Winter Party, Miami, Circuit Festival Barcelona, Mardi Gras New Orleans, Market Days Chicago
Best Gayborhood
Castro, (SF), Hell’s Kitchen (New York), Zona Romantica (Puerto Vallarta), Gayborhood (Philadelphia), Wilton Manners (Ft. Lauderdale), Boystown (Chicago)
The inaugural “GayCities Icon” Award received five nominations:
John Tanzella, President, International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association
Arne Sorenson, Marriott CEO
Ellen Page, Actress
Chip Conley, Author
Armistead Maupin, Author
“It’s the contributions of GayCities members that have made GayCities into the number one site to discover where to go and what to see all over the world,” said Scott Gatz, CEO of GayCities. “So it is only fitting that each of our members will get a chance to vote on the friendliest and best destinations and travel visionaries everywhere.”
See the full Best of GayCities Awards, 2017, go to: http://www.gaycities.com/best-of-2017/
