Mother Has Arrived
Israel
LGBTQ+ Tourism: Empowering travelers and overcoming challenge
Straight Friendly Global is the product of an FNF collaboration with Mother Has Arrived and is an LGBTQI + focused podcast that discusses historical and contemporary issues related to the LGBTQI + community.
In this episode, host Michael Ross discusses contemporary issues of LGBTQ+ tourism with Ed Salvato, a true travel expert with a successful career in applied math, economics and market research. Ed not only shares his personal experience with tourism. Together, Michael and Ed explore the incredible economic impact of LGBTQI+ tourism, and how destinations and accommodations can create welcoming and safe spaces.
A short excerpt of the Podcast
What does LGBTQI+ tourism mean?
If I am an LGBTQI+ person, can I just assume that I am welcome? If I just show up with a same sex partner? The answer is no. Providers don't know the sensitivities of the community.
So, is this an issue of discrimination?
The real issue is safety. If we walk down the street, will we be jumped at? I was kicked out of a hotel in the past.
Do you think LGBTQI+ people have different consumer behaviors?
Not exactly, but we do have different needs and concerns. In hospitality, there is a tendency to perceive gender roles and families in a certain way, and there are many biases. In the past 20 years, the US and Israel have achieved a great minimum standard. If two men walk in, that is not a problem. But they won't go further than that.
What is the LGBTQI+ market? Are there any special services?
The industry is one component, but you have attractions. You have the travel component. When you are LGBTQI+, your identity factors into your decision. The hotel choice matters more than a train or bus. Because you stay there, and sleep there. Representation is important. Do you know if you will be welcome? You have to look for cues, and that is where marketing comes in.
If I want to plan a trip, with my queer family, what options do I have for planning a safe space vacation?
You have to do a lot of research, because there was discrimination, and there still is. We have to focus on safety. Over 60 countries criminalize LGBT, 11 countries have the death penalty, even popular tourist attractions. If you have children, are they still legally yours in a country that criminalizes your marriage?
How can we find this information?
There are many online sources. Good online bloggers and content creators who cover the degrees of safety for traveling.
Ein Angebot der
Informationen
Service
Weitere Angebote
Tolerance for diversity