I went to dream boys last night and drinks price is horrendous

[Mavica]

Many single gays do have greater disposable income than married straight guys ... but I haven't seen reliable and comparable statistics.

Yahoo Finance is featuring an online article today which reports, for the USA:  ONLY 35% of the population aged 35 > 64 have 401(k) or IRA pension/retirement accounts.  Further, the median retirement account balances for 55 > 64 year-olds.  Unpreparedness for retirement is a serious problem.

The average US Social Security monthly payment in 2023 (government retirement fund) is reported to be $1,790.

Yes, there are many US retirees who have supplemental investment / stock accounts but I haven't seen statistics regarding the demographics.

When we read the travel reports posted amongst the forums on this website it's obvious there's a lot of disposable income to spend on Moneyboys, GP, etc. 😁

[reader]

3 hours ago, Mavica said:

Unless a gay retiree from the US has a strong interest in Thai culture and/or a strong preference for sex with Thai's or SE Asians...

I would think that accurately describes the majority of members.

 

[Mavica]

1 hour ago, reader said:

I would think that accurately describes the majority of members.

 

I don't know if that's accurate. 

Certainly, some guys who frequently participate on the various forums here visit or have visited Thailand (and live there, too).  Some of the same individuals visit and have enjoyed destinations elsewhere, too. 

Without knowing the total number of registered members there are here, I sense Thailand will not be the preferred destination of a majority - nor of the non-registerd who actively read the discussions but don't join. 

As I view it, a large number of posts to a particular forum by a handful of a destination's admirers who are vocal doesn't necessarily equate to a destination being the overall favorite of the registered members.

Geographical home of members and the ethnicity and body types of moneyboys / GP weigh heavily when we speak of our preferences.  They're factors I consider.

For gay retirees living in the US, I don't suspect Thailand/ SE Asia is considered a or the preferred playground and I wouldn't expect to see increasing numbers of the group - newbies - arriving there going forward.

[reader]

I agree that Thailand and SE Asia are not the most popular destinations for US gays who travel out of country. I'd expect Mexico, South America and Europe rank higher.

However, even without knowing the number of registered members or where they come from, I think the visible data like what countries they are posting about is the key to projecting their favorite destinations. People tend to read and write about what they know and like.

By far, the most read forum is "Gay Thailand." It draws the widest readership (133.2k posts).

"Latin American Men and Destinations" comes in a distant second (32.3k posts).

 

 

 

[PeterRS]

7 hours ago, reader said:

I think the visible data like what countries they are posting about is the key to projecting their favorite destinations . . . By far, the most read forum is "Gay Thailand." It draws the widest readership (133.2k posts).

"Latin American Men and Destinations" comes in a distant second (32.3k posts).

Isn't there a major problem when dividing up the actual number of posters on a site like the excellent Gay Thailand compared to those who post on the vast numbers of other chat sites around the world? Gay Thailand has a reasonably high number of active members and a lot of guests who merely read the posts. But when we compare all these with the total number of gay men around the world who travel for their vacations, these numbers are in fact tiny - virtually infinitesimal.

What I assume we have to remember is that the merging of Gay Thailand with Gay Latin America (or whatever that site was called) was the joining together of two sites aimed at this tiny fraction of the gay travel market. Although I do not know, my guess is that there are several (dozens?) other sites out there focusing on Latin America that we know nothing about. Same but probably to a lesser extent about Thailand. I know of the Thailand travel section in a Singapore site. Do we know of any in Chinese based in Hong Kong and Taiwan? I assume so but I do not read them. So comparisons based merely on viewership of this site are in my view all but meaningless.

As an aside, having read the Latin America threads on Gay Thailand, during my two visits to South America, I wish I had expored the gay scene as I now wish I had. If I had the time and much more importantly the finance, as a result I would gladly hop on a plane tomorrow. But I cast my lot with S. E. Asia decades ago and am delighted I did. For that reason I am more interested in chat rooms with a focus on S. E. Asia. Perhaps one day I will explore more sites in English with their focus much more on Latin America.

[Boy69]

I was in Colombia last November-December and to tell the truth didn't see any gay foreigners hung out with local boys , In the clubs saw gays from South American nearby countries but non Americans or Europeans , Only at the biggest club in Bogota 'Theatron' saw very few young gay foreigners mainly dancing and having fun but not with local guys.

[Shonen]

This brings up an interesting point. Would a twenty year old Colombian money boy be seen hanging out all day with an old falang? My Thai money boy boyfriend has no problem with it. Which makes my time spent in Thailand much less lonely and more enjoyable. He’s not twenty anymore btw.

Do they respect elders there like many do in Asia?

It would be much more convenient traveling to say Colombia, than a twenty hour flight to Thailand. Plus I studied Spanish in high school and college. But for me I’ve found all I need and want in Thailand. Also I hear there’s a gay serial killer running around Colombia, ha ha.

[floridarob]

2 hours ago, Shonen said:

It would be much more convenient traveling to say Colombia,

Have you been to any latin countries?

[reader]

The point I was trying to make is that the majority members of this forum are here because of their interest in Thailand as a place to visit or live. That's why "Gay Thailand" forum draws so many hits.

The most popular posts within the forum invariably relate to trip reports and venue reports. Readers have also displayed a taste for controversy, Take this thread, for example. Although it was started only a few months ago, it's attracted 5.3k views and received 132 replies. (And those numbers only count views by logged on members; not the many many non-members who view the site).

But returning to the discussion of the top locations that attract gay visitors (and their pink dollars), Out Traveler came up with this list for 2023:

https://www.outtraveler.com/print-issue/best-places-for-lgbt-travelers#rebelltitem3

================

InterNation, a site dedicated to expat living and working, came up with this list of the The Top 10 Destinations for Expats in 2023 (this is not an exclusively gay list):

1 | Mexico

2 | Spain

3 | Panama

4 | Malaysia

5 | Taiwan

6 | Thailand

7 | Costa Rica

8 | Philippines 

9 | Bahrain

10 | Portugal

 

[Tomtravel]

4 hours ago, Shonen said:

This brings up an interesting point. Would a twenty year old Colombian money boy be seen hanging out all day with an old falang? My Thai money boy boyfriend has no problem with it. Which makes my time spent in Thailand much less lonely and more enjoyable. He’s not twenty anymore btw.

Do they respect elders there like many do in Asia?

It would be much more convenient traveling to say Colombia, than a twenty hour flight to Thailand. Plus I studied Spanish in high school and college. But for me I’ve found all I need and want in Thailand. Also I hear there’s a gay serial killer running around Colombia, ha ha.

I have seen in Colombia older Americans and their 20 something dates - at the hotel breakfast.
I have travelled with 26 and 28 years old around Colombia, no issues. One was very affectionate actually. I think Latam has strong „live and let live“ mentality, so nobody cares and if they have an opinion, you will not hear it.

[Mavica]

7 hours ago, Boy69 said:

I was in Colombia last November-December and to tell the truth didn't see any gay foreigners hung out with local boys , In the clubs saw gays from South American nearby countries but non Americans or Europeans , Only at the biggest club in Bogota 'Theatron' saw very few young gay foreigners mainly dancing and having fun but not with local guys.

Some reaction to your comments:

In Colombia, though, gay tourism is different ... isn't it? 

Yes, in Bangkok and Pattaya you'll see gay foreigners hanging out with Thai's.  But isn't what you see mostly at venues where moneyboys are available to off?  Are you seeing an appreciable number of gay foreigners socializing with Thai's throughout?

Not yet having been to Colombia, and reading the discussions here for that destination ... there doesn't seem to be a gay culture including the degree / network of venues with dancers and moneyboy-types as is found in Thailand.  Pay for play relationships are arrainged for differently in a not so defined way as we see in Thailand.

My impression is that USA gays visiting Thailand, frequenting the sex venues, are older than gays traveling to Colombia and South America. 

In Thailand, it's almost certainly easier to spot a North American (i.e., Canada and USA) visitor than it is in most or much of South America.  Example: a now deceased friend of mine would travel with me at times and in Mexico and Brazil locals would mistake him for one of their own ... until he spoke.  He was of Irish and German heritage.  But in Thailand, nobody we met was mistaken about his not being Thai.  So, in Colombia the younger gays from the USA may blend-in easier.

[Mavica]

2 hours ago, reader said:

The point I was trying to make is that the majority members of this forum are here because of their interest in Thailand as a place to visit or live. That's why "Gay Thailand" forum draws so many hits.

The most popular posts within the forum invariably relate to trip reports and venue reports. Readers have also displayed a taste for controversy, Take this thread, for example. Although it was started only a few months ago, it's attracted 5.3k views and received 132 replies. (And those numbers only count views by logged on members; not the many many non-members who view the site).

But returning to the discussion of the top locations that attract gay visitors (and their pink dollars), Out Traveler came up with this list for 2023:

https://www.outtraveler.com/print-issue/best-places-for-lgbt-travelers#rebelltitem3

================

InterNation, a site dedicated to expat living and working, came up with this list of the The Top 10 Destinations for Expats in 2023 (this is not an exclusively gay list):

1 | Mexico

2 | Spain

3 | Panama

4 | Malaysia

5 | Taiwan

6 | Thailand

7 | Costa Rica

8 | Philippines 

9 | Bahrain

10 | Portugal

 

Traveling someplace for a month vs. living at the same destination full-time are apples-to-oranges comparisons.  Tourists vs. Expats.  Expat priorities are oftentimes very different from those of tourists ... as many of us have experienced.

Preference lists, as provided by reader, above, interesting as they are, IMO, mean very little to a tourist or expat. For the expat the criteria is oftentimes "Which place is the least expensive to live and has better weather?"  Geographical proximity to one's country of origin is another important factor.

The number of 'hits', 'clicks' a forum or discussion gets doesn't mean the destination that forum focuses on is or would translate to the interpretation that it's the most favored to visit by a majority of this site' members + non-member readers.

We're fortunate, though, to have so many members who share our travel and life experiences ... and opinoons ... about the worldwide destinations we have an intetest in.  Diversity and inclusion. No absolute 'right' or 'wrong' choices.

[Boy69]

6 hours ago, Shonen said:

This brings up an interesting point. Would a twenty year old Colombian money boy be seen hanging out all day with an old falang? My Thai money boy boyfriend has no problem with it. Which makes my time spent in Thailand much less lonely and more enjoyable. He’s not twenty anymore btw.

Do they respect elders there like many do in Asia?

It would be much more convenient traveling to say Colombia, than a twenty hour flight to Thailand. Plus I studied Spanish in high school and college. But for me I’ve found all I need and want in Thailand. Also I hear there’s a gay serial killer running around Colombia, ha ha.

My Colombian boyfriend has mo problem to be seen holding hands with me , first I hesitated not to embarrass him but he insisted doing it publicly.

Regarding the serial killer the chances to encounter him are less than winning the lottery. LOL.

[KeepItReal]

5 hours ago, Tomtravel said:

I have seen in Colombia older Americans and their 20 something dates - at the hotel breakfast.
I have travelled with 26 and 28 years old around Colombia, no issues. One was very affectionate actually. I think Latam has strong „live and let live“ mentality, so nobody cares and if they have an opinion, you will not hear it.

Interesting- but I have been told that may be shifting. Apparently the % of religious people in LATAM have been slow to decline (unlike USA/Canada) and there is a shift away from Catholicism to Protestant amongst those that are religious, specifically evangelical beliefs. That is troubling to some. 

[Tomtravel]

The educated and urban are mostly liberal/would not care. The less educated or more traditional would not create a scene with a foreigner - this goes against the culture. Inside the traditional family homophobia can be significant, but not always. I spoke with guys who lost the contact with their fathers. Latin mother and son connection is though unbreakable :-).  Colombia is way too developed country to have public attitudes lets say like Uganda. People generally respect their privacy and rights, which include right to chose the sex life.

Btw, Spain (mother of Latam culture) is pretty traditional and catholic, but very liberal to gays.

[Shonen]

14 hours ago, Boy69 said:

9 hours ago, floridarob said:

Have you been to any latin countries?

Only been to Mexico and Costa Rica. Chaturbate has me interested in visiting Colombia at some point.

[floridarob]

11 minutes ago, Shonen said:

Only been to Mexico and Costa Rica. Chaturbate has me interested in visiting Colombia at some point.

So much to discover, Brasil is the top because of the available sex venues and legal prostitution. But, I've been to all Central America and most a lot of S. America, don't forget Puerto RIco, Dominican Republic, Cuba .....Latins are hot blooded.

I LOVE Thailand, but more for food and massage these days, occasionally I'll have good sex, but mostly is transactional and mediocre and not cheap. I add in  Indonesia now whenever I'm on that side of the world, either Jakarta or Bali.... except for alcohol, is very affordable and guys are super horny, although more limited selection. Many are bf material though.....

[Boy69]

2 hours ago, floridarob said:

LOVE Thailand, but more for food and massage these days, occasionally I'll have good sex, but mostly is transactional and mediocre and not cheap.

+1

[PeterRS]

6 hours ago, Shonen said:

Chaturbate has me interested in visiting Colombia at some point.

With my partner spending some time looking at Colombian boys on chaturbate, I became interested when looking over his shoulder. Now I will sometimes open a site on my own. Some of those boys look amazing, and many being all but hairless makes them even more so!

[Mavica]

8 hours ago, Tomtravel said:

The less educated or more traditional would not create a scene with a foreigner - this goes against the culture.

In Mexico, I've observed / witnessed differently.  The less educated can be brutal in their condemnation of same sex relationships.  On many occasions I've observed where neighbors have spray-painted the home of gay couples, condemning their homosexuality resulting in the couple moving away.

[floridarob]

@Mavica times have def changed, not saying that things like that don't still happen, but soooo rare and the people doing that are then ostracized. 

[Boy69]

I was surprised to see  the Colombians were very tollerat and open minded to gays , all were very nice,  polite and some even smiled when they saw me and my Colombian friend walking and holding hands.

[Mavica]

21 hours ago, floridarob said:

@Mavica times have def changed, not saying that things like that don't still happen, but soooo rare and the people doing that are then ostracized. 

I respectfully disagree.  😀

[Travellerdave]

On 7/27/2023 at 8:14 PM, Tomtravel said:

Btw, Spain (mother of Latam culture) is pretty traditional and catholic, but very liberal to gays.

As to summer vacation destinations for gays from U.K. and other Northern European countries I would say that Spanish Mediterranean resorts are the most popular followed by those in Greece or maybe Portugal. I myself used to go to Maspalomas on the island of Gran Canaria where being much younger 20 years ago and rather fit I very much enjoyed the beach (there is a gay section)  and the thriving nightlife.  The travel involved only relatively short flights of around 4.5 hours with mainland resorts only about 3 hours and once there, gays experience zero significant problems. SE Asia principally Thailand attracts a small and declining older (+50 years) minority for all the reasons covered in this forum, attracted by Asian guys and the exotic ambience . I only know of one other who has visited South America (Brazil & Cuba),

[floridarob]

2 hours ago, Mavica said:

I respectfully disagree.  😀

I've lived in maybe the most conservative Mexican state for 11 years now 🤨