News reports of attitudes towards and treatment of gays and lesbians can have a particular influence on destination choice. Some relevant reports are discussed here.

In Russia, a 2005 opinion poll showed that 43.5% of the population supported recriminalization of consensual gay sex and nearly threequarters opposed gay marriage (Anon., 2005b). Jamaica is considered to be a particularly homophobic society where ‘violent acts against men who have sex with men are commonplace’ (Human Rights Watch, 2004a, p. 2). Buggery is a criminal offence, carrying up to 10 years’ imprisonment, and any form of physical intimacy between men up to 2 years’ imprisonment. The murder of a prominent gay activist, Brian Williamson, in June 2004 was regarded by police as robbery-related, but others saw it more as a homophobic attack. Williamson himself is quoted as saying ‘we who are homosexuals are seen as the devil’s own children’ (Younge, 2004). Homophobia has characterized the Jamaican popular music scene, including Buju Banton’s Boom Boom Bye Bye. Concern that homophobic lyrics of a Beenie Man song could incite violence led to cancellation of his concert in London in 2004 (Branigan, 2004a).

Homosexuality is illegal in the Solomon Islands and until 1988 the ban on gross indecency applied only to men. This was held to be unconstitutional but, perversely, the ban was then extended to women (Anon., 2004). Human Rights Watch also reported that the Egyptian government continued to arrest and torture men suspected of homosexual activity (Rodgerson, 2004); homosexual acts are not illegal, but charges of ‘debauchery’ and ‘contempt of religion’ can be laid against gay men. In the ‘Queen Boat’ case in 2001, 53 men were arrested in a Cairo disco on charges arising from sexual relations with other men. There were allegations of torture and 23 were sentenced to 1–5 years’ hard labour. In Saudi Arabia over 100 men were sentenced to imprisonment and flogging for ‘deviant sexual behaviour’ (Human Rights Watch, 2005). The men were arrested at a private party and tried in closed court. An article reporting this in Gay Times also referred to the Singapore government’s prohibition of an AIDS concert because of proposed performances by gay singers. Reports in the same issue of Gay Times (September 2005) that Uganda had passed legislation to prevent marriage of same-sex couples and that Iran had publicly executed two gay teenagers are unlikely to have created a favourable image of these countries.

Although the Republic of South Africa was the first to expressly forbid, in its constitution, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, a high level of homophobia remains (Cock, 2003). A number of positive legislative steps have been taken, such as the ending of workplace discrimination against gays and lesbians, the decriminalization of same-sex acts and the extension of equal partner benefits, but the everyday lives of gays and lesbians have changed little (Rahim, 2000). Elsewhere in the southern part of the African continent, ‘many leaders in southern Africa have singled out lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as scapegoats for their countries’ problems’ (Long, 2003, p. 1). The presidents of Zimbabwe, Namibia and Uganda have all been quoted as expressing strong anti-homosexual views. Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe all have sodomy laws and have denied legal status to gay and lesbian organizations.

Northern Ireland has been the subject of several adverse news reports with respect to gays and lesbians during 2004/05. A headline in The Guardian newspaper stated: ‘Gays and lesbians under siege as violence and harassment soar in Northern Ireland’ (Chrisafis, 2005, p. 13) and, in another article, the province was referred to as ‘the hate crime capital of Europe’ (O’Hara, 2005, p. 2). Homophobic attacks in the province reported to the police had risen by 176% between 2003/04 and 2004/05 (and by 300% in Derry). In part, this may have been due to an increased willingness to report incidents, but it may well also have been due to a legacy of violence in the province and the greater conservatism of a society under strong religious influence. Perversely, the easing of political and religious tensions may have resulted in other targets being looked for. The murder of ten men in a gay massage parlour in Cape Town in January 2003, although allegedly not a hate crime, could be expected to create an unfavourable image (however short-term) of this increasingly popular destination.

A travel feature in Gay Times focused on ‘exotic’ destinations and rated them according to the internal situation and homophobia or human rights abuses within the country, rather than identifying situations where tourists, in particular, had faced difficulties (Gregory, 2004). The reviews of Brazil, Cuba, Egypt, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Sri Lanka and Tanzania as tourist destinations identified some of their ‘darker sides’ as well as obvious tourist attractions. Jamaica, Egypt and Tanzania were bottom of the ‘pink ratings’ (with scores of zero, one and two out of ten, respectively); the implication seemed to be to take care in and perhaps avoid such destinations. Brazil and Malaysia were top (eight and seven, respectively), which also seemed to suggest a greater degree of gay-friendliness for visitors.

Even Amsterdam, traditionally a liberal and gay-friendly city, has experienced some recent adverse publicity – homophobic attacks and a general waning of tolerance (Minto, 2005).