Destinations International and IGLTA Launch LGBTQ+ Tourism Toolkit

Destinations International and the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association have launched a toolkit designed to help destinations create more welcoming, inclusive and meaningful experiences for LGBTQ+ travelers and communities.

Why Values Matter: A Destination Guide to LGBTQ+ Travelers draws on research from Valuegraphics, a values-based audience research firm, to provide destination organizations with actionable strategies for engaging LGBTQ+ travelers through community alignment and inclusive experience design.   

The toolkit identifies three core values that motivate LGBTQ+ travelers — harmony, health/well-being and balance — and provides practical recommendations to enhance the LGBTQ+ travel experience. 

The research, based on responses from more than 1,800 LGBTQ+ travelers across key international inbound markets considering travel to the United States, reveals that LGBTQ+ travelers choose destinations where they can be themselves, prioritize personal well-being and experience a sense of stability, acceptance and belonging, and that destinations that embrace these values see measurable increases in loyalty, trust, engagement and visitor spending. 

"As destination organizations continue evolving their role as community leaders and stewards of place, creating environments where all travelers feel genuinely welcomed and represented is essential," said Don Welsh, president & CEO of Destinations International. "This toolkit provides destination professionals with meaningful, research-backed guidance to help foster belonging, strengthen trust and build long-term community and economic value through inclusive tourism strategies."

The toolkit demonstrates how inclusive destination strategies can support broader social impact objectives, including community engagement, economic opportunity, workforce inclusion and responsible tourism stewardship. Through case studies, including Discover Puerto Rico’s long-term LGBTQ+ tourism strategy, destinations are encouraged to collaborate closely with local LGBTQ+ organizations, tourism partners and community stakeholders to create experiences that are welcoming, authentic and sustainable. 

The resource sets out a five-step framework for destinations to build LGBTQ+ inclusion into long-term strategic planning, measurement and storytelling efforts. Recommendations include strengthening representation across destination marketing, investing in welcoming training and policies, supporting LGBTQ+ owned businesses and embedding community voices into tourism development processes.

"LGBTQ+ travelers naturally seek out places where they can truly be themselves,” said Meg Ten Eyck, CEO of EveryQueer and IGLTA board chair. "This collaboration gives destinations the tools to better understand our values and create more meaningful experiences that support our safety, celebrate our visibility and benefit local communities."