2024 is worldwide a major election year. This is also the case in Europe. The Rainbow Map and Index by ILGA-Europe show(s) the continent – and yes that includes the United Kingdom – is not equipped against attacks from the far-right.
Tag: Ireland
How LGBTQIA+ friendly are Members of the European Parliament?
On 18 April 2024, Forbidden Colours released the ‘Queer your EU‘ report. This research evaluates what the institutions of the European Union have done for LGBTIQ+ people from 2019 to 2024. The NGO analyzed the votes of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) revealing that 1 MEP out of 4 voted against the rights…
ILGA-EUROPE | Alarming surge in transphobic speech across Europe sparks concern for June 2024 EU elections
Ahead of the elections throughout the European Union coming June, a new ILGA-Europe report shows a stark rise in anti-LGBTQIA+, and in particular, transphobic statements from politicians across Europe.
2024: rising prices affect travel plans and vacation activities
On 1 January 2023, we wrote 2023 would be a year of coping with staff shortages and industrial action. While both themes were present in 2023 – and still will be in 2024 – they felt less pressing. Perhaps we learned to live with staff shortages and strikes and not dramatize them (anymore). But it…
Grindr Unwrapped: Belgium and the Netherlands are lands of leather men and twinks
December is the time of the year for lists and recaps and gay dating hookup app Grindr did just that. It tells us some semi interesting facts about typical or not queer destinations we (don’t) go to.
CLIMATE CHANGE & TRAVEL | Is Belgium ready to be the Spain and Italy of the future?
In August 2023, several media reported Belgium is a hotspot for summer holidaying to watch for the future. Travel destinations around the Mediterranean Sea such as Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Morocco are just experiencing too many exaggerated heat waves.
‘Turning Heads: Bruegel, Rubens and Rembrandt’ exhibition at KMSKA Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp until 24 January 2024
Until 24 January 2024 the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Antwerp, Koninklijk Museum of Schone Kunsten Antwerpen or in short KMSKA hosts the exhibition ‘Turning Heads: Bruegel, Rubens and Rembrandt‘ about portraits. ‘Krasse Koppen‘ in Dutch. With a focus on Pieter Bruegel, Sir Peter Paul Rubens and Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn.
Intra-European travel mostly for fun and / or family
In the COVID-19 pandemic related travel restrictions stricken year 2021, residents of the European Union made 873 million trips with overnight stays – regardless of destination and duration. Of these, 8.0% were trips for professional purposes, while the remaining 92.0% were trips made for personal purposes.
Europeans visit other European countries over 7 nights on average
In the COVID-19 pandemic stricken year of 2021, tourism trips made by residents of the European Union to another EU Member State had an average duration longer than one week – 7.9 nights – ranging from 4.3 nights for trips to Czechia and Luxembourg to 11.3 nights for trips to Romania.
ICELAND | Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights at Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach near Vík
Iceland in November and December? Really? I saw an Icelandair promotion on Instagram which I couldn’t resist. The catch? It had to be late November to the start of December 2022. But I could – easily – enthuse Oriol to come along for a road trip in the South and West of Iceland.