New findings from Booking.com have found that LGBTQ+ travelers seek inclusivity and acceptance when traveling. Data shows that around 59% of LGBTQ+ travelers experience discrimination during their travels, and an additional 50% agree that identifying as LGBTQ+ has made them “more insecure and self-conscious as a traveler” according to TravelPulse.
The same data finds that around 56% of LGBTQ travelers are considering their destination’s local legislation on marriage equality prior to booking, with 53% considering whether that destination is more or less accepting of queer people than their home country.
With the release of this data, Booking.com also announces a new partnership with the New York City Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center. Through this partnership, Booking.com will provide original content for the center’s on-site theater, which will include the diverse stories of queer travelers around the world. What’s more, the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center will be added as one of more than 128,000 bookable attractions available to travelers using Booking.com.
Over half of those surveyed also prefer to visit destinations where queer tourism is established and flourishing, while just under half said they would consider destinations where their presence would promote greater social acceptance. The study also found that more than half of those surveyed have booked trips to LGBTQ+ supportive destinations in the past year. In all, around 72% said more inclusivity during their travels made them more comfortable.
Booking.com provides curated content for LGBTQ+ travelers with their Travel Proud initiative which offers guides for LGBTQ+ experiences in cities around the world.
