Increasing numbers of LGBTQ+ people are willingly travelling to intolerant destinations. Why? Tommy Trivett (not his real name) explains his motivations for being a ‘Rainbow Rebel’.

Being an international gay traveller definitely has its challenges, especially when your interests are off the beaten tourist path. I have learned to be semi-closeted in my lifestyle and to very careful to whom I open myself up to. Doing overland trips from Reykjavik in Iceland to Cape Town in South Africa via Western Africa, travelling alone in Ethiopia and Somaliland, doing a bicycle trip from Northern Norway to Istanbul, Turkey via Eastern Europe, and spending the winter in Antarctica, you learn quickly that even though there are kind, helpful people everywhere in the world, not everyone is open to the LGBTQIA+ community.

People often ask me, “Why do you travel to such dangerous areas?” and “What motivates you?” Even though the path to travelling while being closeted is a lonely one, you will find many unexpected rewards. Setting aside your own interests to learn and grow from different communities around the world can be very enlightening and life changing. You will soon be humbled by the generosity of others who have far less than you and will be inspired to help out other communities.

While traveling in Somaliland, I quickly met a group of guys who were very willing and excited to show me their country. I was travelling overland by myself from Addis Abba, Ethiopia to Harare and eventually into Somaliland. I could not believe the kindness and generosity of the Ethiopian people, and as I approached the border of Somaliland the people just became nicer and nicer. I had no idea where I was going and what bus to take next, but local people were extremely helpful would grab my bags and carry them for me to the next mode of transport. This is where the traveller’s trust comes into play. Sometimes, one just has to trust that deep down most people are genuinely good and want to help. After riding a tuk tuk like vehicle with three local women, giggling as we tore down the dusty roads in a border town, I crossed the border into Somaliland and hopped a taxi to Hargeisa. On the ride there, I quickly met a guy who invited me to hang out with his friends. I agreed, and they met me at the hotel I stayed at in the city centre the next day, where we had lots of great conversations and laughs. His friends were very enthusiastic and willing to show me around their country. I, unfortunately had booked my permits and transport for Las Geel and Berbera the night before, so I had to politely decline.

Fast forward to a couple of years later, I stayed in contact with my Somali friends on social media. I was working in Greenland and received a message from one of the guys that I met at the hotel. The message asked how I was doing, invited me back to his country and asked if I was “a gay.” I paused, my heart sank, and many thoughts ran through my head. Was he trying to out me? Was this a trap? Was his friendship a ploy? In many African countries, being gay is illegal and often results in imprisonment or worse – death.

I vehemently said no and that I wasn’t, as I’m so used to doing when the question arises in awkward situations in foreign countries. Then he asked me again and said that he was. He seemed disappointed and said that he thought that he could read something from me. That’s when it clicked in my head. He’s not trying to out me, but rather, relate and reach out to me, as why would he put himself at risk and in a vulnerable situation? I immediately apologised and told him that I was gay, and that I was afraid of what his initial motives were.

Months later, I found myself working in Antarctica again and received another message from my Somali friend. This time it was more urgent and a cry for help. He had expressed that Somaliland had just made it illegal to be gay and the police were actively hunting down people that were suspected of such acts. My friend said that they had arrested some of his friends and put them in jail. One of his good friends was tricked by the police. He received a message from an unknown number on his phone saying that he forgot some of his things at a certain location. His friend denied that he did and said that they must be mistaken.

The messages continued coming, insisting that he forgot some of his things. Being the nice guy that he is, his friend went to the location to tell the person that the items were not his. Upon arriving, the police instantly jumped him and arrested him. From jail, he texted my friend immediately and told him to flee, because it was only a matter of time before they got him too. My friend hopped the first flight to Mogadishu where he was messaging me.

Being outted as being gay in Somaliland is worse than a death sentence, as my friend described me. It is humiliating and the entire community, including your family will reject you. You are basically treated like a nonhuman, and there is no gaining that respect back. I received this message while at work in Antarctica and became overwhelmed. I could not even imagine what he was going through, and I felt awful for his friends. I went to work straightaway to help him. I started to contact friends that I was out to asking if they would donate money to get him to a safer location. He couldn’t stay in Somaliland and living in Mogadishu wasn’t safe either for different reasons.

After pooling my money and donating funds from friends, I had to get help to wire the money to him which was no easy task. After we found a way to send the money, my Somali friend bought a plane ticket to a different country in Africa. This country is also not LGBTQIA+ friendly, but at least here he can live in hiding and avoid being locked up for the rest of his life.

It is this very reason why I think international travel to non LGBTQIA+ friendly countries is important. Our queer community is everywhere, and how can we turn a blind eye to reaching out to those who need help in dire situations? Being a rogue, closeted traveler isn’t necessarily a desired path, but it can be a rewarding one.

Read more about “Rainbow Rebellions” in Globetrender’s Future of Queer Travel trend report.

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Tapping into the growing market for queer travel, Variety Cruises is launching its first LGBTQ+ cruise in the Seychelles in autumn 2023. Jenny Southan reports

Departing on October 28, 2023, Variety Cruises will launch its first LGBTQ+ cruise to the Seychelles archipelago, with an array of onboard entertainment and offshore excursions.

Setting sail on the Pegasos, the 44-person cruise will start and finish in Mahe on St Anne Island. Every night there will be entertainment either from local dancers or musicians, and an Off Broadway Musical at Sea.

Stops will include: Curieuse island, which has giant tortoises; Cousin island, for a visit to the local bird sanctuary; and Praslin island for sightings of rare black parrots and “coco de mer” double coconuts.LGBTQ+ activist Constantine Venetopoulos, part of the family that founded Variety Cruises, will join the “straight-friendly” seven-day adventure. During the trip, guests will be able to connect with the LGBTQ+ community, explore the destination’s gender history, and enjoy “signature activities”.

Constantine is a leader in gender equality, a volunteer counselor for The Trevor Project, and the director of the film Draw With Me, which was presented at the United Nations during the 50th anniversary of the Stone Wall riots. Edward Chlerich, a model and actor, will also be joining and leading the cruise.Prices start from £2,026 per person and include accommodation in an air conditioned double or twin en suite cabin; full board catering (buffet breakfast and two meals daily); a welcome cocktail; theme night party; captain’s dinner; coffee, tea and water; use of snorkelling equipment; and an English-speaking cruise director.

Not included are port charges per person, soft drinks and alcohol, shore excursions, crew tips and wifi.The Seychelles is one of the few African nations with laws protecting LGBTQ+ employees from workplace discrimination. Homosexuality is legal in the destination but gay marriage is not.

Variety Cruises states on its website: “As a tourist in Seychelles, your gender identity and sexual preferences are personal and should not be a concern to anyone else. Unless your behaviour is deemed unacceptable, there have been no reported issues related to travellers’ sexuality.”

Variety Cruises is a specialist in small ship cruises, and serves destinations including Greece, Tahiti and the islands of French Polynesia, the Red Sea, West Africa and Cape Verde.

Download Globetrender’s Future of Queer Travel report to learn more about emerging LGBTQ+ travel trends.

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Gay, old, black, Muslim, differently abled – Delta Air Lines has launched a free Adobe Stock image library to better illustrate the beautiful diversity of travellers in the world. Jenny Southan reports

Following the example of Celebrity Cruises, which debuted its All-Inclusive Photo Project of free images of diverse people on vacation, Delta Air Lines has unveiled its Faces of Travel image library.

Totalling 200 photos and 40 video clips that “authentically showcases diverse travellers out in the world enjoying travel in extraordinary ways”, the images are free to download from Adobe Stock.

In a world where travel marketing typically shows white, able-bodied, cis-gender, heteronormative people, this is a really positive move. The airline says: “At Delta, we believe that a more welcoming world, where everyone feels seen, included and respected, is a world worth welcoming.”Delta’s tie-up with Adobe has been undertaken to “champion a more accurate and authentic representation of travellers today in order to inspire positive, lasting change within the travel industry and beyond”. The travel industry and culture have often portrayed a narrow and inaccurate view of people who travel, lacking representation of diversity in image and video content.

While Delta has intentionally increased representation within its own marketing assets, Faces of Travel is an initiative that continues Delta’s long-term commitment to increase representation that the larger travel culture can tap into: from social media to tourism ads, and everything in between, while pushing against stereotypes that have been created and upheld.“We understand the power of representation, which is a building block for this important program. Faces of Travel is an integral part of our broader commitment to move the travel industry and culture at large forward, by modelling diversity and inclusion in every aspect of the travel sector, while inspiring others to come along on this journey,” says Ashley Sherman, general manager of ESG marketing at Delta Air Lines. “Diverse travellers have been out seeing the world for decades, and it’s time the world started seeing them too.”Delta partnered with impact-focused creative company Kin to bring Faces of Travel to life in an innovative way. Delta says: Diverse talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and capturing counter-stereotypical narratives remain critical to the concept, execution, and ongoing success of this multi-year programme.”

Sophie Ozoux, co-founder of Kin, says: ”For us, this project is important at multiple levels. It’s about correcting travel history. It’s about opening minds and attacking preconceived notions. It’s about inspiring more people to see themselves in faraway places. But it is also about building a more welcoming future together. More accurate and inclusive representation within travel culture and beyond will be essential to avoiding bias as we build the platforms and systems of tomorrow.”

For this new collection, photographer Seo Ju Park captured candid and personal moments in Cape Town, South Africa, that showcase the true joy of travel and help break away from the reductive and cliched stereotypes of travel photography and imagery.

Park says: “The push for real representation on a large scale impacts every one of us. Changing perception and integrating new values in culture and entertainment takes consistency, and it’s not often you see this kind of consistently out there. I’m honoured that I get to be a part of this because, as a creative Korean-Mexican, I’ve always craved to be part of projects with impact. Projects with representation like this make me feel seen.”

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Tailormade travel company Kuoni has revealed the world’s most popular LGBTQ+ honeymoon destinations – and some of them are surprising. Jenny Southan reports

To mark ten years since legislation was passed in July 2013 to allow same-sex couples in England and Wales to marry, Kuoni has published its LGBTQ+ Honeymoon Report to show how newly wed queer couples are travelling.

According to Kuoni, the ten most popular LGBTQ+ honeymoon destinations are:

• Greece
• Italy
• North America
• Australia
• Thailand
• South Africa
• Singapore
• Mauritius
• Maldives
• Bali

Counter-intuitively, in many cases couples are travelling to places where being gay can be a criminal offence, such as the Maldives, Dubai, the Caribbean and East Africa (Globetrender calls these trips “Rainbow Rebellions” – download our Future of Queer Travel trend report to learn more.)

They are also choosing places that haven’t necessarily legalised gay marriage for local people – these include queer-friendly Greece and Thailand – but also countries with anti-LGBTQ+ governments such as Italy (where a new right-wing prime minister is breaking up lesbian families), Mauritius and Bali. Singapore decriminalised homosexuality in late 2022 but gay marriage is still not legal.

Kuoni says couples are choosing places “based on their own preferences, research and advice from trusted travel experts”.

The report also highlights countries that have taken steps to be more LGBTQ+ positive in the past ten years. Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis and Singapore repealed anti-gay legislation and it’s hoped Sri Lanka is moving that way this year.

After surveying 1,013 people who identify as part of LGBTQ+ community, the report shows that some queer couples are hesitant about ticking bucket-list destinations off their list though due to concerns about negative reactions to their LGBTQ+ identity, which emphasises the importance of having advice from trusted travel experts and fostering LGBTQ+ inclusivity worldwide.

The majority of queer travellers prefer to play it safe on honeymoon, with 57 per cent of respondents actively seeking out LGBTQ+ friendly destinations. Most also do their own research before speaking to a travel company.

The survey revealed that another key trend is privacy and exclusivity, with many LGBTQ+ couples opting for private villas instead of resorts, to ensure privacy in countries without true marriage equality.
56 per cent of respondents stated that it was either “important” or “extremely important” to have LGBTQ+ inclusive accommodation while travelling.

At the same time, Kuoni’s own insight and data demonstrates an increasing desire amongst LGBTQ+ couples to explore diverse destinations including those traditionally considered less LGBTQ+ friendly.
44 per cent of LGBTQ+ travellers prioritise the overall destination experience regardless of feelings towards LGBTQ+ people.

By releasing the report Kuoni says it “aims to celebrate the diversity of honeymoon experiences, whist at the same time raising awareness about the challenges still faced by LGBTQ+ honeymooners who want to explore and enjoy the world”.

The report not only celebrates the progress made in the last decade but also serves as a roadmap for the future, ensuring that LGBTQ+ couples can “embark on their honeymoon journeys with confidence and joy”.

Mark Duguid, managing director of Kuoni, says: “When I travel with my partner Scott, I never hide who I am.” But not everyone has this level of self-assuarance and may feel they need to modify their behaviour to hide their sexual orientation.

Duguid says: “With LGBTQ+ travel, the talk can often turn reactive quite quickly – boycotting certain destinations and so on. In reality the conversation is much more nuanced than that, so we give our customers the information to make educated choices and navigate those issues in a very individual way with our staff. And we can have those chats because many of those staff have experienced those destinations themselves.”

As part of its drive towards inclusivity, Kuoni is introducing the “Kuoni Promise” – a commitment to providing “exceptional service for everyone throughout their honeymoon journey and beyond”. Apparently, the pledge is “underpinned by the company’s long-standing dedication to LGBTQ+ inclusivity”.

Duguid says: “Kuoni always been committed to inclusivity and ensuring that every traveller feels safe, valued and celebrated. This report and the introduction of the Kuoni Promise is a testament to that commitment. We want to inspire confidence with LGBTQ+ honeymooners that they can trust Kuoni to provide exceptional service, inclusive experiences and expert guidance every step of the way.”

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The W Costa Navarino in Greece has earned the first IGLTA Accredited certificate in the world for being consciously supportive of LGBTQ+ guests. Jenny Southan reports

Part of Marriott International’s W chain, the W Costa Navarino opened last year in the sustainably driven vacation destination of Costa Navarino in the Greek region of Messinia (just over a three-hour drive from Athens).

The property has implemented a number of practices to ensure a welcoming experience for LGBTQ+ travellers, including staff training that involves role-play inclusivity seminars, establishing an LGBTQ+ associates ambassador, and the creation of gender-neutral room amenities, spa treatments and restrooms.

Unfortunately, the hotel doesn’t cater to families with children under the age of 12, however, so Globetrender will be on the look out for certified hotels for queer parents with young kids. (Queer Family Travel is a key trend in our Future of Queer Travel trend report.)

At the moment, gay people cannot get married in Greece but this summer, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced plans to legalise same-sex marriage, a huge step forward for LGBTQ+ rights.

“The foundation of Costa Navarino is built upon a deep respect for our guests. Our commitment is not only to meet but to exceed their expectations,” says Stephanos Theodorides, managing director of Temes, the developers of Costa Navarino. “We strive to anticipate diverse needs, ensuring that everyone feels as comfortable as they would in their own home,” he says.

The destination of Costa Navarino (where there are a number of other high-end resorts such as the Westin and Mandarin Oriental), says it wants to become a “fully inclusive destination”. Over the past year, Costa Navarino has also formed partnerships with the University of Piraeus and HospitableMe so that it can conduct research on the needs of different consumer groups and how these can be met in the tourism sector.

In light of the results, Costa Navarino has applied several practices to ensure that the needs of people from different cultural backgrounds, gender identities, ethnicities, and people with autism, visual, hearing and mobility impairments, are successfully met.

IGLTA Accredited – a new stamp of approval for queer-friendly hotels

Recognising its efforts to welcome queer travellers in particular, leading LGBTQ+ travel association the IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association) has created a “groundbreaking” accreditation for hotels that “genuinely welcome LGBTQ+ guests through their actions, not just empty words”.

Since launching, the Swissotel Nankai Osaka, Sofitel Legend the Grand Amsterdam, and the Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel in New York have also earnt the accreditation.

In today’s cultural climate, trust has become a rare commodity. The 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer, which surveyed 28 countries, showed that nearly six in ten people currently say their default emotion is “distrust”. It is no longer enough for brands to claim authenticity, it must be proven. This is especially true for the LGBTQ+ community.

To make it easier for queer travellers to choose where to stay, IGLTA Accredited recognises hotels that are consciously catering to the queer travel market. Unveiled in June, IGLTA Accredited has opened applications to hotels and accommodation providers worldwide, in anticipation of “rapidly building momentum” as travel organisations globally seek to champion LGBTQ+ inclusivity.

As Globetrender highlights in its Future of Queer Travel report, before the pandemic, travel spending from queer people reached US$218 billion worldwide but by 2030, experts predict that travel spending by queer travellers could reach US$568.5 billion.

IGLTA Accredited sets the standard as an independent quality assurance process, “providing concrete evidence that participating hotels genuinely welcome LGBTQ+ guests through their actions, not just empty words”.

To obtain the accreditation, hotels must successfully document the fulfilment of eight criteria, showcasing their dedication to creating a safe and welcoming environment for their staff and LGBTQ+ travellers.

The eight criteria of IGLTA Accredited are built upon the pillars of diversity, equity, inclusivity, policy, community, advocacy, transparency and sensitivity.

They encompass the implementation of non-discriminatory policies protecting both LGBTQ+ travellers and hotel staff, comprehensive sensitivity training, a proven commitment to inclusive marketing practices, and tangible evidence of genuine support for the LGBTQ+ community.

“We believe allyship should be year-round, not just for pride,” says IGLTA president and CEO John Tanzella. He says: “LGBTQ+ travellers are looking for real accountability in their travel experiences, and travel advisors want to know they are directing LGBTQ+ clients to hotels/accommodations that truly welcome them.

“We invite properties around the world to join us in championing integrity within the travel industry and elevating the standard of travel for all. IGLTA Accredited strives to provide peace of mind for all LGBTQ+ travellers, wherever their adventures might take them.”

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A new Kayak travel hub created by – and for – LGBTQ+ travellers combines queer-friendly advice with hot tips and must-see destinations. Olivia Palamountain reports

Kayak has introduced a dedicated travel hub designed by and for LGBTQ+ travellers planning domestic and international getaways. (According to a ranking by Equaldex, the best places for queer travellers are Canada, Uruguay, Malta, Chile, Mexico, Denmark, Spain, Germany, Bazil and the US.)

Available to access here, the portal is geared up to serve the queer community with comprehensive information about LGBTQ+-friendly destinations, events and accommodation, along with safety tips and guides to ensure enjoyable and secure vacations.

Jason Brillon, communications lead of Kayak’s Pride ERG (employee resource group) team, emphasises the importance of additional travel precautions for the LGBTQ+ community. He says: “While the world has continued to become a more accepting and welcoming space, the unfortunate reality is that members of the LGBTQ+ community like myself still need to take additional travel precautions in order to have a safe and enjoyable vacation.

“Kayak’s new LGBTQ+ travel hub combines educational information and safety tips with must-see international events and destinations to create a much-needed one-stop shop for insight, information and inspiration.”

Developed in close collaboration with Kayak’s Pride ERG team, the website aims to provide a welcoming and accepting space for LGBTQ+ travellers.

It also features personal travel stories and advice from influential voices within the community. Users who would like to contribute their own travel recommendations, videos and images to the travel hub community page can write to Kayak at lgbtq-travel@kayak.com.

Sophie Gelsthorpe, chief people officer at Kayak, highlights the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. She says: “As a global travel company, we take pride in our diverse workforce, and continuously seek out opportunities to enhance our product portfolio based on our own employee, and user experience.

“The LGBTQ+ travel hub is our latest testament to this, where we’re inviting diverse voices from inside Kayak and beyond to share their first-hand travel stories and recommendations. By doing so, we aim to create an inclusive and welcoming space for travel lovers everywhere.”

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Spain, Costa Rica and Mexico have been ranked among the top ten places for LGBTQ+ people to take a honeymoon. Jenny Southan reports

According to a survey of 2,000 LGBTQ+ British people by Asda Money Travel Insurance, 43 per cent of LGBTQ+ travellers say that when choosing a honeymoon destination, they would want to go somewhere they felt able to show affection in public, but over half (53 per cent) don’t feel safe kissing, while abroad and 41 per cent won’t even hold hands.

At the same time, almost 50 per cent of LGBTQ+ travellers say they feel frustrated that they must avoid certain countries, while 40 per cent feel disappointed.

Even though gay marriage is now legal in 34 countries, there are still 64 UN member states where is still illegal to be gay, making it more difficult for LGBTQ+ couples to travel safely and leaving them forced to consider different factors that heterosexual couples would not usually think about.

To make travel planning easier, the “LGBTQ+ Honeymoon Index 2023” reveals the best romantic destinations around the world for LGBTQ+ couples and has ranked countries based on factors such as marriage equality, safety, and the country’s “shareability” factor (how popular the location is on Instagram and TikTok, based on hashtag data).

The research found that Spain was the most LGBTQ+ friendly place in the world with a score of 57 out of 60, closely followed by the UK in second place and Costa Rica in third, both with a score of 55.

The top 10 LGBTQ+ honeymoon friendly destinations are:

1. Spain
2. UK
3. Costa Rica
4. US
5. Mexico
6. France
7. Brazil
8. Greece
9. Portugal
10. Australia

Spain, UK, and Costa Rica are among the top picks for LGBTQ+ couples due to their high scores in marriage equality, safety and shareability. Spain stands out for its hot weather, stunning beaches, and impressive architecture, as well as its thriving LGBTQ+ community. Spanish entertainment, including film and TV, has been greatly influenced by LGBTQ+ culture, and the country has made progress in supporting LGBTQ+ rights in social and political spheres.

The UK is known for its picture-worthy landmarks, love of football, and classical literature, but also for its large LGBTQ+ communities. Birmingham, Brighton, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester and London are known for their annual Pride festivals, and the country scored highly for marriage equality and travel safety – making it perfect for a honeymoon or romantic holiday.

Costa Rica offers a range of stunning natural features which are bound to leave every tourist in awe. In addition to its breath-taking landscapes, it is also widely considered one of the safest places for members of the LGBTQ+ community to visit. This is because same-sex relationships have been legal in Costa Rica for over 50 years, making it a welcoming destination for all couples.

However, it is worth noting that while queer culture is thriving in Costa Rica, the more rural areas tend to be home to people who have strong religious beliefs due to the country’s Catholic background. It would be wise to plan your trip around the main tourist areas to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable stay.

The top-scoring country for each continent:

Best country for LGBTQ+ Romantic Holidays in Africa: South Africa

Best country for LGBTQ+ Romantic Holidays in Europe: Spain

Best country for LGBTQ+ Romantic Holidays in North America: US

Best country for LGBTQ+ Romantic Holidays in South America: Costa Rica

Best country for LGBTQ+ Romantic Holidays in Oceania: Australia

As part of the research, Asda Money Travel Insurance looked at hashtag data from both TikTok and Instagram to discover each destination’s shareability, which was a factor in the overall rankings. Bali (121,981 posts), Hawaii (48,282 posts), and Paris (16,314 posts) were crowned the top three most Instagrammable and TikTok-worthy destinations.

This was further supported by a survey of 2,000 Brits which revealed how UK couples feel about getting married and honeymooning abroad, and the difficulties faced by LGBTQ+ couples specifically.

The survey found the top ten ideal honeymoon destinations for Brits were the Maldives (27 per cent), Hawaii (20 per cent) and Barbados (18 per cent), while LGBTQ+ couples specifically would rather jet off to Amsterdam (58 per cent), New York (55 per cent) or Paris (54 per cent).

When asked about the things they want the most from their honeymoon, nearly half of Brits (49 per cent) agree that great food and drink is the number one priority, while 41 per cent simply want somewhere romantic to enjoy each other’s company.

Interestingly, 59 per cent of LGBTQ+ respondents are more likely to stick to a city break rather than a tropical honeymoon, as they are concerned they might be judged.

The Asda Money Travel Insurance Honeymoon Index disputes this, as both Costa Rica and Mexico made their way into the top ten, in third place and fifth place respectively. Both countries scored full marks for marriage equality, while Costa Rica was ranked 36th in the world for LGBTQ+ travel safety, and Mexico came 28th.

Christian Suen, a LGBTQ+ travel influencer, says: “For the most part, travelling as an openly gay couple is no different to anyone else, but there are a few things we have to do differently. For instance, we always make sure the hotel we’re staying at is LGBTQ+ friendly – I actually recently found out that a lot of websites have this as a search function now.

“We also always have to stay vigilant, and we always ensure we have travel insurance in place. Not just because it covers medical expenses etc., but because it gives us that extra layer of legal protection if and when necessary.

“As an LGBTQ+ couple, the main thing I look out for with travel insurance is having clarity that same-sex couples count as “dependents” within family bundles, even if they haven’t chosen to get married officially or anything like that.

“It’s great to see a comprehensive list like this being pulled together, that focuses not just on where LGBTQ+ couples can be safe but also factoring in those romantic elements that you would be looking for from your honeymoon destination. A lot of studies don’t do that, negating all the typical aspects of a holiday to simply focus on safety (which, of course, is very important).”

Ed Doherty, Product Manager at Asda Money Travel Insurance, adds:  “As a travel insurance provider, we believe that everyone deserves to explore the world without fear of discrimination or prejudice. It’s great to see that there are a range of countries, all over the world, that are safe for LGBTQ+ couples to enjoy on their honeymoon, and we’re really glad this index can go some way to helping our LGBTQ+ customers find a destination that’s right for them.

“We understand the unique challenges that LGBTQ+ travellers may face while abroad, and we are committed to providing comprehensive coverage and support. That’s why our family travel cover is inclusive of parents or guardians in same sex relationships of marriage.’’

The full index analysed the top 50 countries in the world to find the best LGBTQ+ honeymoon destination, with the complete dataset available on Asda Money Travel Insurance blog.

Download Globetrender’s free Future of Queer Travel trend report to learn about Put A Ring On It Trips, Queer Family Travel, Limelight Gaycations, Polydays and other trends.

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From group ‘gaycations’ to ‘Rainbow Rebellions’, where queer people defiantly travel to countries with anti-LGBTQ+ laws, a diverse panel of experts share their views on the future of queer tourism. Jenny Southan reports

Globetrender’s new Future of Queer Travel trend report was launched at a live event in June at the Mondrian Shoreditch, with contestants from UK’s first gay reality dating show I Kissed a Boy. (Pictured below is Globetrender founder Jenny Southan with contestants Vitor, Bobski and Kailum.)In a welcome speech from David Lockhart, general manager of the Mondrian hotel, he said: “I have been with my husband for 13 years, we have children and we travel a lot, but I have had more than one or two complicated eyebrow raises. So this is something I am very passionate about. It is something we should all be very passionate about.

“Service and hospitality are all about discretion and humility. And it should always be about inclusion. This event is something we thought we should definitely be a part of. You can programme for Pride but it’s some important that corporations do it with some style and some substance.”

The forecast, which is free to download from globetrender.com, identifies eight trends that will shape the future of travel for the LGBTQ+ market. These include: “Queer Family Travel”, “Limelight Gaycations”, “Rainbow Rebellions”, “Polydays” and “Pride Power”.

During the event there was also a panel discussion between five diverse queer commentators:

• Kailum Webster, travel consultant and contestant on BBC reality dating show I Kissed a Boy
• Sophie Griffiths, editor and chief purpose officer for TTG Media
• Stu Oakley, founder of Assemble Publicity, and co-author of The Queer Parent. He is also the co-host of podcast From Gay to Ze
• Aisha Shaibu-Lenoir, founder of Moonlight Experiences and LGBTQIA+ Ambassador for Contiki
• Chris King, CEO of Lightning Travel Recruitment

The conversation around the future of queer travel was wide-ranging. Griffiths discussed TTG’s editorial strategy when it comes to LGBT content and their commitment to “never promoting any destination where, based on recent evidence, members of your team would not feel comfortable to travel for fear of arrest due to their sexuality or profession”.

Webster spoke about what it was like to spend two months living in a masseria in Italy with a group of gay guys for a reality TV show, while Oakley explained why shows like this so important when it comes to accepting and supporting the queer community, and what he has learnt about queer family holidays as a gay dad.

Alongside this, Shaibu-Lenoir spoke about the new queer group trips her company is launching, why she would travel to Saudi Arabia, and why is it so important for travel companies and tourist boards to invest in diverse and inclusive imagery.

Finally, King raised some important points about what people in the travel industry need to understand about being trans, what the experience of being a trans person and business leader is like, and the rise of gender neutral passports, which you can read more about in Globetrender’s Future of Queer Travel trend report.

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The central European country of Estonia has become the first ex-Soviet state to legalise same-sex marriage, with the amendment going into effect from January 1, 2024. Jenny Southan reports

In another important step forward for LGBTQ+ rights, Estonia’s parliament passed a law on June 20 legalising same-sex marriage, making it the first ex-Soviet country to do so. (To learn more about “Put A Ring On It Trips”, download Globetrender’s free Future of Queer Travel trend report.)

The fellow Baltic states of Lithuania and Latvia appear likely to follow suit in the coming years. Ukrainian citizens are also pushing for equal marriage rights in a bid to further distance itself from Russia

According to a press statement, two adults will be able to marry “regardless of their gender” following parliament-approved amendments to the country’s Family Law Act. The change will go into effect from January 1, 2024.

The update will also mean that same-sex couples will be able to adopt children. (In Estonia, only married couples can adopt, although single gay, lesbian and bisexual people can petition to adopt.)

“Everyone should have the right to marry the person they love and want to commit to,” Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said. “With this decision we are finally stepping among other Nordic countries as well as all the rest of the democratic countries in the world where marriage equality has been granted.

“This is a decision that does not take anything away from anyone but gives something important to many,” she continued. “It also shows that our society is caring and respectful towards each other. I am proud of Estonia.”

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Queer Family Travel, Limelight Gaycations, Rainbow Rebellions and Polydays are among the trends shaping the future of LGBTQ+ tourism, a market that will more than double in value by 2030.

With support from media partners Gay Times, TTG and Out There magazine, the Future of Queer Travel was launched at a live event at the Mondrian Shoreditch with contestants from UK’s first gay reality dating show I Kissed a Boy (pictured below).

The forecast, which is free to download from globetrender.com, identifies eight trends that will shape the future of travel for the LGBTQ+ market. These include: “Queer Family Travel”, “Limelight Gaycations”, “Rainbow Rebellions”, “Polydays” and “Pride Power”.Jenny Southan, editor, founder and CEO of Globetrender, said: “A big reason we chose Queer Family Travel as our number-one trend is because more and more rainbow families are emerging – in 2019 there were almost quarter of a million same-sex families in the UK, an increase of 40% since 2015.“It was also because of the publication of an important milestone book last month – The Queer Parent: Everything you Need to Know from Gay to Ze – which was co-authored by my wife Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley (pictured above centre). My wife and I have a young daughter and Stu is a gay married man with three adopted children.

“In this book they highlight some of the unique challenges we face when travelling as queer parents, such as how we are ‘outed’ all the time by cries of ‘Mummy, Mama’ or ‘Daddy, Papa’. What this means is that queer families need to be far more discerning and thoughtful about where they visit to ensure they won’t encounter homophobia.”

THE EVENT

The trends were revealed on June 14 at a live event at the Mondrian Shoreditch hotel in London, which was attended by both press and senior figures from across the travel industry.

David Lockhart, general manager of the Mondrian hotel, said: “I have been with my husband for 13 years, we have children and we travel a lot, but I have had more than one or two complicated eyebrow raises. So this is something I am very passionate about. It is something we should all be very passionate about.

“Service and hospitality are all about discretion and humility. And it should always be about inclusion. This event is something we thought we should definitely be a part of. You can programme for Pride but it’s some important that corporations do it with some style and some substance.”During the event there was also a panel discussion between five diverse queer commentators, including a contestant from BBC Three’s new gay reality dating show I Kissed a Boy. Bobski and Vitor from the TV show were also in attendance.

• Kailum Webster, travel consultant and contestant on BBC reality dating show I Kissed a Boy
• Sophie Griffiths, editor and chief purpose officer for TTG
• Stu Oakley, founder of Assemble Publicity, and co-author of The Queer Parent. He is also the co-host of podcast From Gay to Ze
• Aisha Shaibu-Lenoir, founder of Moonlight Experiences and LGBTQIA+ Ambassador for Contiki
• Chris King, CEO of Lightning Travel Recruitment

Southan said: “Globetrender’s Future of Queer Travel trend report is a project I have personally wanted to produce for about three years but it has taken considerable time to get off the ground.

“After I was selected as one of Attitude magazine’s “LGBTQ+ Travel Trailblazers” for 2023, I decided the moment was right, and managed to secure sponsorship from Contiki, Meet Boston and Discover New England who came on board as partners for this important piece of work.

“Globetrender has also launched a new ‘Queer’ section on its website for LGBTQ+ travel content to help consumers become better informed.”

THE REPORT FINDINGS

Southan said: “Over the past ten years, the queer travel market has grown enormously – when travel was at its peak before the pandemic, travel spending from queer people reached US$218 billion worldwide. By 2030, experts predict that travel spending by queer travellers could reach US$568.5 billion.

“Why? Firstly, queer travellers are more intrepid and hungry for travel than ever before. Secondly, in many cases they also have more disposable income. And thirdly, the population of people who identify as queer is increasing. In 2021, a landmark UK Census revealed that 6.9% of Gen Zs identified as LGB+ compared with 3.5% of Millennials, and 1.6% of Boomers.

“For the travel industry, this is a clear indication of distinct market opportunities (particularly among people under the age of 45). It is also an urgent call for better understanding and appreciation of this growing and richly varied consumer group.”

She added: “In terms of progress for LGBTQ+ human rights, there are steps forward and steps backwards. Gay marriage is legal in 34 countries (up from just one in 2001) but homosexuality is still illegal in 67 countries. In 2023, the president of Uganda signed one of the world’s toughest anti-LGBTQ laws, but at the same time, Latvia welcomed the modern world’s first openly gay president.

“At Globetrender, we are optimists. We strongly believe in travel as the ultimate expression of freedom, and a unifying force that brings people closer together.”

WHY IS GLOBETRENDER USING THE WORD ‘QUEER’?

Southan said: “Globetrender uses ‘queer’ as an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or are not cisgender. In the past, queer was used as a derogatory slur, but we feel the time is right to reclaim it, and use ‘queer’ as a simple, inclusive alternative to the ever expanding acronym of LGBTQIA+.”

FIVE QUEER TRAVEL TRENDS

1. QUEER FAMILY TRAVEL

In the world’s most progressive countries, queer families have only been “legal” for about 20 years, meaning Millennials are the first generation to be able to embrace queer parenthood in a socially acceptable way, with the law on the side of them and their children. The first adoptions by same-sex couples in Finland didn’t happen until 2020. This year, Taiwan became the first jurisdiction in Asia to allow same-sex parents to adopt.

From surrogacy to IVF, there are many paths to parenthood, but for queer people the rules and rights within countries that support queer families remain complex. Popular holiday destinations that could be problematic for queer families to go to (due to the fact being gay there is criminalised) would be Barbados, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius and Morocco.

However, as Stu Oakley highlights in The Queer Parent, even when you make a sensible choice about a queer-friendly destination (such as Cuba), you can’t always predict who the other guests at the resort will be. In his case, he encountered a group of Russian women who left in the middle of their meal when they found out he was gay. (They’d been admiring his three children and asked where their mother was.)

2. LIMELIGHT GAYCATIONS

According to a 2023 survey by American Express, 64% of respondents said they made travel plans or were inspired to visit a specific country or destination after it was featured on a TV show or film. For the queer community, “Limelight Gaycations” will be particularly in demand, especially as there is so much more positive queer content appearing on screens.

Boosting Google searches for “masseria” rentals in southern Italy is reality show I Kissed a Boy, which is airing now on the BBC and is set in a stunning renovated farmhouse. Hosted by Danii Minogue, I Kissed a Boy brings together a diverse pool of young gay men with the aim of finding out if a single kiss can spark a long-lasting relationship.

Probably the hottest example of a TV show that has made headlines not only for its brilliant storytelling but for its cast of camp and queer characters is The White Lotus, Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, and season two in Sicily, at the San Domenico Palace, Taormina, a Four Seasons hotel.

Bookings exploded to such an extent after it aired in autumn 2022 that the travel industry has been calling it “The White Lotus Effect” and there are high hopes for season three, which will be set in the queer-friendly country of Thailand.

3. RAINBOW REBELLIONS

As every queer person knows, there are situations – often on a daily basis – where we know we have to modify our behaviour or protect our true identity in some way. While this is not an optimum way of living, this ability to “social camouflage” means that a rising number of queer people are willing to sacrifice personal liberties in favour of exploring destinations in spite of their anti-LGBT laws.

For a lot of privileged Westerners (especially Millennials) for whom travel has felt like a right, being queer is not enough of a reason not to go somewhere. A sense of defiance combined with entitlement motivates them to book “Rainbow Rebellions” to destinations such as the Middle East, Africa, Jamaica, Malaysia and China. Another reason is that local laws tend to be enforced more on local people than foreign tourists and so long as queer travellers “keep their heads down” they can avoid confrontations.

4. POLYDAYS

Welcome to travel’s new “sharing economy”: polyamory, which is a form of ethical non-monogamy that sees individuals forming romantic connections with more than one partner at the same time. In years to come, polyamory will transform the way we think about everything from marriage and families, to dating and divorce (will break-ups go down if the pressure of monogamy is removed?).

Although the trend is occurring among straight people too, the queer community is already ahead of the curve. Looking at the corresponding emerging travel trend, when a “throuple” goes on holiday, Globetrender calls it a “Polyday”.

According to Newsweek, in 2021, one in nine Americans have been in a polyamorous relationship and one in six would like to try one. Meanwhile, data from dating app Feeld shows there was a 500% increase in searches for “polyamory” in 2022.

5. PRIDE POWER

For many queer people, going abroad to take part in Pride parades and parties are a major event in the annual calendar. They’re also a great way to meet new people, be more free to express yourself and experience cities at their most wild and fun.

Last year, Gay Times magazine revealed that 60% of the LGBTQ+ community seek out experiences such as Pride when away from home. Tapping in to the “pink pound”, Pride events can be really lucrative for the travel industry.

According to booking data from Airbnb, hosts collectively earned more than US$77 million during Pride celebrations last year. This likely comes down to the fact that, since 2017, the number of hosts around the world using queer-inclusive language on their rental postings has surged by nearly 90%.

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