by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 11:30 AM ET, Thu June 16, 2022
LGBTQ+ travelers from around the world are sharing the biggest challenges they face as travelers in new research conducted by Booking.com.
The booking platform surveyed over 5,500 members of the LGBTQ+ community around the world from Argentina to Vietnam to share their thoughts on personal travel challenges, perspectives and more.
LGBTQ+ Travelers Still Face Discrimination Abroad
One startling response was the negative experiences LGBTQ travelers have when they travel; 100 percent of travelers from India, 97 percent from Denmark, 93 percent from Mexico and 72 percent from the U.S. reported people acting negatively towards them when out in public during a trip. About 28 percent of all surveyed reported these negative interactions.
Among American travelers specifically, an even half of LGBTQ travelers have experienced discrimination while traveling. The largest form of discrimination reported (at 30 percent) was being stereotyped. Another 19 percent of those who'd reported discrimination reported having been stared at, laughed at or subjected to verbal abuse by other travelers; another 19 percent reported the same abuse from locals.
These types of negative experiences can fundamentally change a person's attitude towards travel. Where travel is supposed to broaden horizons, provide an experience in cultural immersion and be a safe time to relax and forget about daily tasks and struggles, travel can become more stressful, less welcoming and even frightening.
How Being LGBTQ+ Impacts Travel Planning
Sixty-seven percent of LGBTQ+ travelers from the United States said that being a member of the community directly impacts their travel planning. Of these, 65 percent reported safety and wellbeing was a top priority during travel planning. Fifty-five percent know being LGBTQ+ affects who they travel with, while 56 percent say it impacts the activities and experiences they do while traveling.
Additionally, 48 percent of those in the U.S. reported that being a member of the LGBTQ+ community impacts what destinations they really want to travel to, with 67 percent of Americans reporting they are more likely to travel to a place that celebrates the local LGBTQ+ community. Fifty-four percent also reported that learning about a destination's LGBTQ+ history is a travel priority.
LGBTQ+ travelers aren't solely faced with challenges and discrimination during their travels, though: 93 percent of the same U.S. travelers reported the majority of their travel experiences have been positive and welcoming. Globally, 90 percent of gay and lesbian travelers in particular agreed.
About 63 percent of American LGBTQ+ travelers feel more confident being a member of the community traveling, with 88 percent of those reporting high levels of confidence in traveling to the destinations they'd like to visit.
What LGBTQ+ Travelers Want
Booking.com also asked travelers what they'd like to see from the travel industry in the future. With a strong focus on supporting the global LGBTQ+ community, the responses were largely about visibility and resources for members of the community to aid in the travel planning process.
For example, 34 percent of LGBTQ+ travelers from the U.S. would like increased breadth of information and visibility on a destination's LGBTQ+ friendliness, including local laws, cultural information, hate crime statistics and religious sensibilities.
Another 35 percent of Americans would like tailored recommendations for their preferences and interests from travel companies, while 39 percent want filters to be able to search for LGBTQ-specific experiences and accommodations on travel websites.
The LGBTQ+ community is finding more welcoming places to travel than they have in the past, though they still face discrimination by other travelers and some locals. Overall, LGBTQ+ travelers in the U.S. and around the world desire welcoming destinations, community-centered experiences and visibly LGBTQ-friendly accommodations and experiences from travel businesses.
To learn more about what LGBTQ+ travelers want, check out TravelPulse's latest podcast episode.
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