A Traveling Trailblazer for Gay Vancouver

If you’re headed to Vancouver and want to know what’s happening in the gay scene, Angus Praught is your man.

Praught, President of Gayvan.com Travel Marketing, is regarded as a pioneer of LGBTQ+ travel in the scenic western Canadian city and has been active in the mainstream hotel and travel industry since the early 1980s.

Representing hotels at LGBTQ+ events internationally during the 1990s led to Praught’s election to the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association’s board of directors, for whom he chaired the February 2002 IGLTA Vancouver Symposium as well as the 2004 IGLTA Global Convention.

He also worked closely with Tourism Vancouver as a tourism marketing liaison for the LGBT travel segment and represented the destination at LGBTQ+ Pride events, conferences, trade shows and media events in cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Las Vegas.

Angus also appears as a regular reporter with Vancouver-based OutLook TV, Canada’s premiere LGBTQ+ magazine-style TV show, which airs nationally on the OUTtv network. Travel Pulse spoke with him recently:

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Travel Pulse: Where are you from originally? Partnered?

Angus Praught: I have lived in Vancouver officially since 1996 but had been visiting the city on business regularly since the early 1980s. I was born on the east coast—in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island—but grew up in London, Ontario, southwest of Toronto. I met my partner, Daichan Nakagawa, in Tokyo and we celebrated our 30th anniversary in August 2017.

TP: Tell us a little bit about the genesis of Gayvan.com.

AP: My background is in hotel sales, marketing and management, so I began researching LGBTQ+ travel, and attending related events starting in the early 1990s.

In 2002, Daichan and I reviewed our years of experience in the hotel industry, our contacts in the local LGBTQ+ business community, the international LGBTQ+ travel segment, and launched Gayvan.com Travel Marketing in January 2003. We publish guidebooks in multi-media formats, a mobile friendly web site, [offer] consulting, as well as event promotion and production, liaise for visitors and business who want to reach them.

TP: How would you describe LGBTQ life in Vancouver? What are the different “gayborhoods” and what kind of people does each attract?

AP: LGBTQ+ life in Vancouver is a visible and active part of Vancouver’s diverse, multicultural society. Same-sex marriage was legalized in July 2003, and we have had openly elected LGBTQ+ politicians serving on all levels of government. Events such as the Vancouver Pride Parade and Festival and the Queer Film Festival have been going on for decades, and are celebrated across the city as part of the city’s annual calendar of events.

Although LGBTQ+ people are now living all over the city, two main areas are best known as hubs for the community.

Davie Village is a three block stretch of 24/7 activity in Vancouver’s West End neighborhood and is home to the majority of the nightclubs, pubs and LGBTQ+ businesses. Davie Village proudly flies rainbow banners on the street posts, is centered by rainbow crosswalks and is home to Jim Deva Plaza—a $2.3 million project created by the City of Vancouver to honor one of our LGBTQ+ pioneers and community heroes.

Commercial Drive, located in east Vancouver, is a more laid back, funkier neighborhood full of a wide range of ethnic restaurants, cafes and businesses. This area is popular with the lesbian community and those wanting a somewhat slower pace than Davie Village.

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TP: How has people’s treatment of/acceptance of the LGBT community changed in Vancouver over the past few decades. Are there still any struggles?

AP: When our first Pride march/parade took place in 1981 with a handful of participants, many people were still afraid to show their faces, in fear of retribution at work or from their families. The hard work of many of our pioneers and activists over the years has led to what today is a multi-week celebration of pride.

The Pride Parade now has official civic status by the city of Vancouver, attracting hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life, including families and children. There are still some struggles, but progress is being made with the passage of the Trans Rights Bill in July 2016 and the reinstatement of the BC Human Rights Commission in August 2017, for example.

TP: Why should gay tourists come to Vancouver? What's special about the city and the community at large?

AP: LGBTQ+ tourists from the U.S. will find a welcoming environment in Vancouver, whether at Canada Customs on arrival at the airport (YVR), checking into their hotel, or while out and about exploring the city.

A year-round calendar of LGBTQ+ events takes place at various venues throughout the city, and all the local attractions are LGBT-friendly. Visitors can enjoy all of the wonderful restaurants, parks and beaches in the city—like everybody else—and also enjoy time in easy to find LGBTQ+ venues at their discretion.

Recognized as one of the most livable and beautiful cities in the world, an excellent exchange rate on the U.S. dollar also provides a good incentive to visit Vancouver.

TP: How is Vancouver marketing itself to the LGBT traveler today? What has worked and what hasn't in the past?

AP: Vancouver has been marketing itself over the years with attendance at LGBTQ+ Pride events, festivals, trade shows, and conventions in the U.S. and internationally, in addition to conventional advertising. The city has also hosted international events such as the Gay Games, IGLTA Global Convention, InterPride Convention and the North American OutGames, to name a few.

Today’s approach is becoming more online focused, with social media as well. This included a series of video presentations produced this year, introducing people in our community to people in other destinations, for example. Strategies continue to evolve, but online is definitely on the forefront.

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TP: When you want to venture elsewhere in the world, what are your favorite LGBT-friendly places, and why?

AP: Wow, there are so many choices these days, it’s very hard to decide. Following are a few of our faves:

New York: Why, because it’s New York! There’s so much to see and do, or just be part of the ever-changing city scene. Having visited many times over the years, we’ve seen all the major attractions already, and now usually stay in Chelsea —within walking distance of our favorite restaurants, bars and the latest shows in mid-town.  

Los Angeles: Why, because it’s west coast, so easy to get to from Vancouver and has sunshine most of the year. West Hollywood has a great high-energy vibe, a fabulous selection of restaurants and nightlife, and there’s that little extra edge of Hollywood glam that adds to the excitement. You never know when your server today, will be the next star of tomorrow.

Tokyo: Why, because that’s where Daichan and I met. Having spent a lot of time there in the past, we know our way around this mega-city. There’s a fabulous mix of old, exotic Japan, ultra-modern 21st century and more than 400 LGBTQ+ businesses located throughout the city. Increasingly LGBT-friendly, there is also a growing LGBTQ+ infrastructure, and Tokyo Rainbow Pride is celebrated openly each May.

Puerto Vallarta: Why, because Mexico has convenient access from Vancouver, it’s warm in winter and very LGBT-friendly. It’s also affordable, as relaxing or exciting as you want it to be, and beautiful on top of it all. You never know who you are going to meet on the beach, as people from all over the world visit this LGBTQ+ hotspot.