We, as humans, are naturally curious about the world we live in. So it’s no surprise that travelling is one of the most beloved pastimes. Every year, millions jet off to destinations across the globe—from the golden beaches of the Canary Islands to the dramatic peaks of the Andes. And among them are LGBTQ+ travellers, who make up an estimated 10% of global tourists—a significant and growing segment of the travel industry.

As awareness of LGBTQ+ needs and rights grows, so too does the number of services and businesses tailored to queer travellers. Whether it’s offering safe accommodation, curated group tours, or simply a good night out, these offerings are often essential, especially given the varying levels of acceptance for LGBTQ+ people worldwide.

Planning your trip

The first step towards a gaycation is to plan it. When it comes to researching holidays, especially for the LGBTQ+ community, who face an increasing level of discrimination in certain parts of the globe, many online forums exist to provide information for would-be travellers. One of the most popular is r/gaytravel, which has over 7k members. Here, one can ask for advice travelling to specific countries, finding first-hand accounts of a country’s attitude to the LGBTQ+ community, or finding travel buddies. Other websites such as IGLTA and All Gay Long’s worldwide travel map can help in picking a location that is not only LGBTQ+ friendly, but that also has plentiful activities for the community, whether it be gay bars or pride parades, or for individuals or the family.

On top of this, there are LGBTQ+ specific travel agencies that are dedicated to providing fun and diverse holidays. Out Of Office is one of these travel agencies, self-proclaimed as the ‘world’s leading gay travel company’. Dedicated to ‘making every journey a celebration of individuality and diversity,’ they provide luxury holiday packages that cater to the needs of the LGBTQ community. They provide holidays to the world’s most inclusive places and organising gay travel group tours, uniting gay travellers from around the globe in their passion for exploration. Prioritising the comfort of cruises over the thrill of travel, R Family Vacations provides luxury cruise ships to LGBTQ+ families, with inclusive activities for kids, as well as offering same-sex wedding ceremonies, on top of their adults-only cruises, suitable for same-sex couples who want a break from the kids.

 

 

The Places to Be

For the queer traveller, many cities around the world have gay neighbourhoods filled with LGBTQ-focused businesses. Whether you are looking for gay-friendly dining experiences or a buzzing clubbing experience, these places offer all you need in terms of bars, clubs, restaurants, hotels and pride parades (if you’re travelling in June)- with the most popular ones being in San Francisco, London and Barcelona.

In every continent you will find a safe haven for LGBTQ people. From Berlin or Bangkok, by far the most accommodating country for gay travellers is Spain. Offering everything from city breaks in the gay neighbourhoods of Madrid or Barcelona, to wine tastings in the Spanish countryside, or beach holidays on the world’s most popular beaches, Spain offers something for all types of travellers, with the added benefit of absolute diversity and inclusivity.

In fact, the modest town of Sitges on the south coast of Spain is often considered the gay capital of Europe. The town hosts many gay-friendly hotels and restaurants, with over 20 gay bars. During the day, Sitges offers the serene, sun-soaked holiday for the family. At night, a vibrant, lively nightlife, making it the ideal place for all holidaymakers, gay or otherwise.

Another ideal Spanish holiday destination is in the Canary Islands, Europe’s well-known party destination. Playa del Ingles is a beach resort on the island of Gran Canarias. It is famous not only for its luscious beaches but for its reputation as the island’s central gay clubbing town. Based around the Yumbo Centrum shopping centre, with over 30 gay clubs in the area, Playa del Ingles hosts one of the largest pride festivals in all of Europe. On top of this, it is also known for its gay beach.

 

LGBTQ+ Travel Playa del Ingles is the hub of Canary Island gay life.

Where to Stay

The most important part about a holiday is having a memorable place to rest your head and numerous hotels, inns and Airbnbs exist to provide the most comforting experience for the LGBTQ+ community. Axel Hotels was founded in 2003, with its first hotel in Barcelona, offering a comfortable and welcoming home away from home for LGBTQ+ people. Since its founding, Axel Hotels now offers 10 locations around the world, from Buenos Aires to Berlin, with its clientele consisting of 75% LGBTQ+ people.

Axel is not the only hotel chain to provide an LGBTQ-friendly service, World Rainbow Hotels is an association of hoteliers that provide an inclusive and judgement-free service to LGBTQ+ families and individuals. Even the big hotel chains such as Hilton and Marriott have adopted LGBTQ+-friendly policies, ensuring absolute comfort for all types of families, with Marriott going further with their Love Travels platform which voices the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity.

 

Proceed with Caution

Not all places are that welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community and it is vital for the queer traveller to be aware of these places and how to keep safe in these places. The Middle East is notorious for its homophobia, with many countries retaining laws outlawing same-sex relations, with some, such as Iran, enforcing the death penalty for it. When it comes to these countries, it’s best to avoid or at least travel with caution. For example, while I was travelling in Jordan, despite the capital Amman containing the ‘Rainbow Road’, I met a man boasting about his homophobic attacks on anyone he perceived as gay. In countries such as these, it’s worth being wary of the locals’ attitudes to the LGBTQ+ community while travelling through them.

Even in the West there have been recent pushbacks against the rights of the LGBTQ +community. For example, Hungary (already known as one of the more hostile countries towards gay people in Europe) has recently placed a ban on all pride parades in the country, specifically cracking down on the country’s capital of Budapest. Even closer to home, after President Trump’s executive orders to crack down on DEI initiatives and the UK court’s ruling over the definition of a woman, the US and UK have become increasingly less inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community, which is beginning to affect LGBTQ+ culture. Already, pride parades have struggled to find sponsors, with the London Pride Festival voicing their drop in the number of companies willing to sponsor them.

 

 

 

LGBTQ+ Travel Hungarian Parliament has recently passed a law banning Pride marches.

Hitting the Rainbow Road

Despite this, the world is still everyone’s oyster! With a little research and planning, LGBTQ+ travellers can enjoy the magic of exploring new places  safely—meeting new people, seeing the world, and celebrating the rich diversity of our global community.

So go ahead—book that flight, pack your bags, and chase the sun. The world is waiting, and it’s more rainbow-colored than ever.