LGBTQ+ travel has matured into a $300 billion market, but the industry is entering a new era where safety, authenticity and community matter more than rainbow marketing.
Matt Skallerud has spent decades tracking the evolution of LGBTQ+ media, marketing and travel. He founded GayWired.com, one of the leading LGBTQ+ websites of the early internet era, before launching one of the first comprehensive LGBTQ+ market guides in 2005. Through his company, Pink Media, Skallerud now helps businesses better understand LGBTQ+ audiences and recently revived the market guide series with a new report examining today’s LGBTQ+ travel landscape.
The industry has moved beyond “pinkwashing”
In recent years, many businesses have been retreating from supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Skallerud notes that these companies that have quietly backed away from LGBTQ+ travelers won’t soon be forgotten.
“A lot of destinations, a lot of travel organizations have just completely disappeared,” said Skallerud in a Zoom interview with News is Out. “They were hoping to do it quietly so we wouldn’t even notice so that when they come back, we’d be like, ‘oh, we didn’t even know you were gone.’ But we will know that they were gone.”
If these brands eventually want to resume courting LGBTQ+ consumers, Skallerud said, they will have to work to earn back that trust, especially with Gen Z travelers who expect authentic support, not just seasonal marketing. That means support year-round, not just during Pride season.
LGBTQ+ travelers aren’t one audience
While the LGBTQ+ community is often treated as a monolith, the simple fact is it has varying interests and needs when it comes to travel. Treating the community as one demographic no longer works.
Queer women, parents traveling with children, those who want cultural experiences, those looking for luxury amenities: there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
“Whatever niche group, whether it’s those that love outdoor hiking and adventure travel and, you know, you name it, whatever sub-niche within the niche, it exists in the LGBT community,” said Skallerud.
Skallerud also points out that there is a thriving hookup culture, particularly for gay and queer men, that is often glossed over when marketing to the community.
“We never ever touch on the hookup culture that’s associated with that at all,” said Skallerud. “It’s because it doesn’t sell at the destination decision-making level. You can’t introduce that into a destination’s Convention and Visitors Bureau where they’re talking about wanting to figure out ways to bring the LGBTQ+ community to their destination, and then you start telling them, well, a lot of times they’re coming looking to meet up with other men, whether that’s through Grindr, Scruff or the local gay bars. The hooking up part has always been a strong part of LGBTQ+ travel, especially with gay men.”
Safety still shapes travel decisions
Safety is still a high priority for travelers. Pink Media’s report finds that 62% of LGBTQ+ travelers choose destinations based on safety and friendliness.
“We always have to be smart, we always have to live with it, and I think that that statistic kind of reflects some of that,” said Skallerud.
Not everyone can be fully out while traveling, either. Experiences differ for femme-presenting people versus visibly queer or gender-diverse travelers. For trans travelers, additional barriers can begin as early as arriving at the airport.
Even cities or countries that are considered generally welcoming for LGBTQ+ travelers can vary.
“If I’m in London, but I’m in the center of Soho, of course, I’m completely uninhibited,” said Skallerud. “But if I go to some of the suburbs of even a city like London, which is very accepting, I am fully aware that PDA in public may actually be frowned upon, and it might be dangerous for me.”
What does inclusive hospitality actually look like?
For Skallerud, a hotel’s check-in experience can set the tone for an entire trip. Even small interactions matter. He recommends front-desk training, knowing where to direct LGBTQ+ travelers locally, and not making assumptions about pronouns or room preferences.
“One of the things they were hearing a lot was that the front desk staff of hotels was probably one of the number one areas where gays and lesbians would sometimes feel discriminated against,” said Skallerud. “The people doing it, it’s not a bad intention. They just look at you and say, ‘Are you sure you don’t want two beds?’ And you have to look at them and say, ‘No, I’m absolutely sure, we chose the king-size bed for a reason.’ But you have to go through that motion, and we do it several times a year.”
Skallerud also gives credit to Booking.com’s Travel Proud program, created with LGBTQ+ education firm HospitableMe, which helps train properties and employees on creating welcoming and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ travelers. Since the program’s inception, more than 140,000 properties have been certified by Travel Proud.
Pink Media’s report also cites Billy Kolber, co-founder of HospitableMe: “Training changes what travelers experience — one welcome at a time.”
Emerging trends in LGBTQ+ travel
When asked about what’s next in LGBTQ+ travel, Skallerud immediately points to river cruises with companies like Brand g, Olivia Travel and Vacaya.
“They’re smaller, they’re intimate, they’re usually 100, 150 people, they’re completely gay,” said Skallerud. He also points out that gay men are the demographic leading the uptick in river cruising.
“Gay men are going on a lot of riverboat cruises, all throughout Europe especially,” said Skallerud. “The audience and the target market are Americans going on these cruises. You’re exploring really wonderful places, especially during Christmas market time.”
Solo travel has also had a rise in popularity, particularly with younger travelers. According to Pink Media’s report, solo travelers now account for more than half of segment revenue, and that growth is the fastest among young travelers.
“The young travelers are less encumbered,” said Skallerud. “Whatever that scenario is, younger people often have a lot more versatility when it comes to these things.”
That shift says something bigger than travel trends. A generation less willing to wait for permission to show up as themselves is also less willing to wait for the industry to catch up.
What does inclusive travel look like to you?
Front desk staff, river cruises, solo trips: the details add up to one bigger question. What does inclusive travel actually look like to you? Email us at newsisout@localmedia.org and share your thoughts.
