IGLTA Foundation Releases Landmark Report Outlining 5 Key Strategies for Achieving Greater Environmental and Community Impact through LGBTQ+ Travel

Media Contact: LoAnn Halden

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The report, highlighted in the opening session of IGLTA’s Global Convention in Milan, is now available as a free resource on the association’s website  

Milan, Italy (3 November 2022)—The IGLTA Foundation has released a new report authored by Peter Jordan—one of the world’s leading specialists on LGBTQ+ travel—outlining best practices for businesses and travel companies to remain competitive in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The report, which was featured at the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association’s Global Convention in Milan last week, is titled “Going Further: How to Make LGBTQ+ Travel Transformational for Travelers, Communities and the Planet” and aims to provide recommendations and insights for leaders in the travel industry through extensive research and focus groups. The IGLTA Foundation commissioned the report to help ensure the travel industry continues to evolve and move forward.

“IGLTA and its Foundation strive to provide our network with the tools and resources necessary to promote more inclusive business practices in tandem with responsible approaches to travel around the world. This report by Peter Jordan is exactly the kind of forward-thinking strategy that drives our organization and the travel industry as a whole,” said Theresa Belpulsi, Immediate Past Board Chair, IGLTA Foundation. “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on the way that global and local travel communities interact. By taking a closer look at the diverse LGBTQ+ community of travelers, this report explains how we can build back our businesses, adopt practices that reduce our environmental footprint, and contribute to the wellbeing of communities in our most beloved destinations.”

“Going Further” helps explain how the LGBTQ+ travel community can work together to rebuild and promote LGBTQ+ travel through five positive action steps that businesses can take—in addition to existing efforts to support responsible travel—that benefit their destinations, host communities and visitors. The report includes data from an IGLTA consumer survey conducted last year to assess the mindset of LGBTQ+ travelers as they returned to leisure travel post-pandemic. Even before the pandemic emerged, consumers were paying increasing attention to the impact of business on their local communities, economy, and the environment. Now, data from that survey shared for the first time as part of this project shows that these issues matter more than ever to LGBTQ+ travelers, too.

Among the key findings, the survey found that:

• 2 in 3 LGBTQ+ travelers wanted to reduce the environmental footprint of their next trip.
• LGBTQ+ travelers show a strong desire to support their destination’s local LGBTQ+ community, for example by contributing to LGBTQ+ community projects (69% of respondents) and supporting LGBTQ+ owned businesses (72%).
• Nearly three quarters of respondents said that racial equality had become important or very important to them during the past year, underlining the importance for businesses to actively improve their diversity, equality, and inclusion practices.
• More than half of respondents said that improving their mental health was important to them, reflecting a greater social awareness of this issue.

The full report can be read at iglta.org/research.

The IGLTA Global Convention would not be possible without the generous support of our convention sponsors. Institutional Presenting: Italian National Tourist Board; Comune di Milano; YesMilano; AITGL. Presenting Level: Discover Puerto Rico; International Experience Canada/Government of Canada; Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau; Tourist Board of Spain - Turespaña; Visit València; Sevilla City Office. Official Level: American Express Travel; Booking.com; CAP Travel Assistance by FocusPoint International; Delta Air Lines; Hilton; Visit Lauderdale; IMG; Israel Ministry of Tourism; The Florida Keys & Key West; Malta Tourism Authority; ProColombia; Simpleview; Starhotels; Toscana Promozione Turistica; The TreadRight Foundation; Visit Philadelphia; Visit West Hollywood. Conference Level: AIG; Cvent; Fidenza Village; Google; PROMPERU; Tourism Seychelles; SXM Media; Visit Greater Palm Springs. Breakout Session Sponsors: Puerto Vallarta; WeTravel. Community Partners: Allumeuse; Arcigay; Bocconi University; Community Marketing & Insights; EDGE: LGBTI+ Leaders for Change; Mantra Communications; myGwork; NEBE; Parks - Liberi e Uguali; Pink Media; Sonders and Beach; SEA Milan Airports; World Food Travel Association.

About the Author: Peter Jordan, a consultant and researcher based in Amsterdam, has authored pioneering reports on diverse aspects of tourism and LGBTQ+ inclusion and diversity for the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), European Travel Commission and IGLTA. He is currently engaged in several strategy projects aimed at helping national and local destination management organizations navigate post-COVID-19 tourism recovery.

About IGLTA & 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. IGLTA global network includes 12,000 LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ welcoming accommodations, destinations, service providers, travel agents, tour operators, events, and travel media 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.

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