#IGLTAgo, a One-of-a-Kind LGBTQ+ Virtual Marketplace, Makes Its Debut

Media Contact: LoAnn Halden

LoAnn.halden@iglta.org

+1 954.253.4095

The event is presented with the proud support of Brand USA

WASHINGTON, D.C. (23 June, 2022)—The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association launched today a new one-to-one online business marketplace exclusively for IGLTA members on 23 June. #IGLTAgo is set on a digital platform provided through partnership with Brand USA, allowing the association’s network of LGBTQ+ welcoming tourism businesses to enhance their global connections.

"We are always looking for ways to develop new products and services for our members that will benefit the LGBTQ+ travel community at large,” said IGLTA President/CEO John Tanzella. “As travel rebuilds, direct connections are more important than ever. We’re so grateful to Brand USA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, giving us the ideal platform to help our members grow their business and create safe spaces for global LGBTQ+ travelers.”

Don Richardson, Brand USA’s CFO and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, sits on the board of directors for the IGLTA Foundation, which helped to drive the partnership. Brand USA, an organization dedicated to marketing the United States as a premier travel destination, fosters understanding between people and cultures and creating jobs essential to the economy—a natural alignment with the work of IGLTA.

“We are excited to be partnering with IGLTA on Brand USA’s Global Marketplace. We hope our virtual platform will help the LGBTQ+ tourism community to build and strengthen relationships, as well as reach a wider audience to not only encourage LGBTQ+ travelers to the U.S. but also ensure they feel like they belong,” commented Don Richardson. “At Brand USA, we are committed to showcasing the nation’s diverse cultural heritage and we strive to uplift the many voices that make up the USA.”

In addition to one-to-one meetings, the virtual marketplace will feature LGBTQ+ travel content and educational highlights from the 2021 IGLTA Global Convention in Atlanta. Businesses representing 11 countries joined the inaugural edition.

For more information, please visit iglta.org/IGLTAgo. Capacity was limited for the first event, but if you’re interested in being part of future editions of #IGLTAgo, please email membership@iglta.org.

Learn more about IGLTA on the Brand USA Talks Travel podcast with IGLTA President/CEO John Tanzella here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brand-usa-talks-travel/id1593907064?i=1000563614562

About IGLTA and the IGLTA Foundation

The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association is the global leader in advancing LGBTQ+ travel and a proud Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. IGLTA’s mission is to provide information and resources for LGBTQ+ travelers and expand LGBTQ+ tourism globally by demonstrating its significant social and economic impact. The association’s professional network includes 10,000+ LGBTQ+ welcoming accommodations, destinations, service providers, travel agents, tour operators, events and travel media, and its members can be found in 80 countries. The philanthropic IGLTA Foundation empowers LGBTQ+ welcoming travel businesses globally through leadership, research, and education. For more information: iglta.org, igltaconvention.org or iglta.org/foundation and follow us on Facebook @IGLTA, @IGLTABusiness or @IGLTAFoundation, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram @iglta.

About Brand USA

Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, was established by the Travel Promotion Act as the nation’s first public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and to communicate U.S. travel policies and procedures to worldwide travelers. The organization’s mission is to increase international visitation to the United States in order to fuel the U.S. economy and enhance the image of the United States worldwide. Formed as the Corporation for Travel Promotion in 2010, the public-private entity began operations in May 2011 and does business as Brand USA. According to studies by Oxford Economics, over the past nine years Brand USA's marketing initiatives have helped welcome 7.7 million incremental visitors to the United States, benefiting the U.S. economy with more than $56 billion in total economic impact and supporting, on average, more than 40,000 incremental jobs a year.

For industry or partner information about Brand USA, visit TheBrandUSA.com. To discover more about the USA and the boundless diversity of American travel experiences and authentic, rich culture, please visit Brand USA’s consumer website VisitTheUSA.com and follow Visit The USA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.