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Welcome a new year of LGBTQ+ travel in 2022.

- BY MARK CHESNUT

PRIDE EVENTS WILL LIKELY BE LARGER IN 2022, GIVING TRAVELERS MORE REASONS TO HEAD TO DESTINATIO­NS LIKE NEW YORK CITY, AMSTERDAM AND PUERTO RICO, WHICH HOSTS TWO VIBRANT CELEBRATIO­NS.

Like most people, LGBTQ+ travelers are looking forward to a new year that will allow for safer and more hassle-free travel. And there are plenty of reasons to look forward to 2022. A top internatio­nal choice for kicking off the new year in party mode is White Party Bangkok, billed as Asia’s largest gay New Year’s Eve festival. There’s yet another chance to celebrate when the Thai new year begins in April, with the massive G Circuit Songkran Festival attracting still more LGBTQ+ revelers.

The first months of the new year prove a great time for skiers; among the best options for LGBTQ+ travelers are Colorado’s Aspen Gay Ski Week, Switzerlan­d’s Arosa Gay Ski Week and Canada’s 29th annual Whistler Pride and Ski Festival, all in January.

Tour operators and travel agencies, meanwhile, make it easy for LGBTQ+ globetrott­ers to rediscover the pleasure of travel. In South America, Out in Colombia — winner of the 2021 Impact Award from the Internatio­nal LGBTQ+ Travel Associatio­n — offers a fresh array of Colombia tour options, while a travel agency called Travel Brilliant upped its family-friendly LGBTQ+ vacation options, including a new “gay dads family spring break” offer at Universal Orlando Resort.

Orlando, in fact, offers multiple new reasons to visit in 2022. Walt

Disney World continues marking its 50th anniversar­y with fresh entertainm­ent likely to make the next Gay Days events even more fun. New hotels in the area include Lake Nona Wave Hotel, opening this month and featuring LGBTQ+ performers as part of its entertainm­ent roster.

Pride events will likely be larger in 2022, giving travelers more reasons to head to destinatio­ns like New York City, Amsterdam and Puerto Rico, which hosts two vibrant celebratio­ns. Travelers looking for pride-worthy accommodat­ions in the northeaste­rn United States, meanwhile, should consider Connecticu­t’s Foxwoods Resort Casino, which debuted a Rainbow Suite at Fox Tower in partnershi­p with

Bubly sparkling water. It’s just one of the many venues ready to welcome LGBTQ+ travelers in the new year.

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