ELTA’s annual conference took place in Brussels, Belgium, with the distinguished patronage of the European Parliament, serving as a premier forum for industry pioneers and associations to share insights and ideas on accessible tourism in Europe. Focusing on the typical state of LGBTQ+ tourism, participants included major people like AccorHotels, Best Western, EasyJet, European Travel Commission, Sojern, ENIT, Visit Malta, see Brussels, and ECTAA (European Travel Agency & Tour Operator Association).
One such organization prominent in this lucrative sector of the tourism industry is a world-renowned travel and hospitality company. To empower a more inclusive travel industry, the company has partnered with InfoAppeal to launch an innovative AI-driven platform, which scrutinizes online content, comprising items, responses, and user reviews, to produce real-time rankings of destinations, lodgings, and service providers that place paramount emphasis on sexual orientation and gender identity inclusivity.
Sonders & Beach’s LGBTQ+ Travel Index strengthens the company’s existing . By leveraging data-driven insights on inclusivity, the Index enables users to pinpoint opportunities for growth and generate tailored suggestions that effectively cater to the unique demands of their varied customer bases.
Speaking at ELTA, Alessio Virgili, CEO of Sonders & seashore and president of ELTA, emphasized the necessity of organizations providing genuine inclusivity. Companies are encouraged to move beyond tokenistic advertising and marketing initiatives often criticized as “pinkwashing,” by implementing tangible actions that foster a genuinely inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ travelers, thereby guaranteeing their well-being and sense of belonging.
As the travel industry’s understanding of the LGBTQ+ consumer continues to evolve, companies are now afforded a distinctive chance to refine their inclusive approaches by receiving targeted training and internationally accredited certifications, thereby fostering a more welcoming environment for this vital demographic. “LGBTQ+-inclusive destinations must proactively create a safe haven for all identities, transcending empty gestures, by deliberately fostering a sense of belonging and pride within their queer populations.”
The queer-friendly destination has been officially certified by QueerVadis, a third-party verification process that is rapidly gaining prominence in the tourism industry. By integrating ecological, social, and governance (ESG) considerations, this initiative is well-positioned to draw in a diverse array of businesses, spanning from publicly traded enterprises to privately held companies dedicated to realizing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. As the programme’s impact grows, a diverse range of users from the hospitality industry, including prominent hotel chains like UNA Hotels Group and Leonardo Hotels, have joined forces with tourism bodies and local authorities.
As Virgil observed, Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), particularly Booking.com, have started to acknowledge third-party certifications as a trustworthy marker of an environmentally responsible business model in action.
Does the extra information on the LGBTQ+ Travel Index provide valuable insights into destinations’ inclusivity and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community?
