Around the world, brands are navigating a more polarised environment: in the US, corporate support for Pride events and LGBTQ+ charities has dropped sharply following right-wing backlash and fears of political targeting. In the UK, heated debates around trans rights have created further division and uncertainty.
But now is not the time for silence or performative gestures. LGBTQ+ travellers continue to represent one of the most dynamic and high-spending segments in the global travel industry and they’re more discerning than ever.
According to The Future of Queer Travel report by Globetrender (2023), travel spending by queer travellers is expected to reach US $568.5 billion by 2030. Complementing this, the Expedia LGBTQ+ Summer Travel Outlook 2025 reveals that LGBTQ+ Brits take at least three trips a year, spending on average £3,200 annually, with one in five spending over £5,000. These figures reinforce the segment’s value to the industry - not just in terms of spending, but in terms of influence, frequency, and loyalty.
Expedia’s research also highlighted a growing appetite for discovery, proving that LGBTQ+ travellers are not just returning to trusted favourites, but actively seeking out fresh, inspiring places to explore.
Yet despite this, many travel brands are still not fully embracing the opportunity to connect meaningfully with the LGBTQ+ community.
As someone who is part of the LGBTQ+ community and has worked in travel PR for over 10 years, I’m passionate about helping travel brands connect authentically with LGBTQ+ audiences. At Lemongrass, we bring this perspective together with our strategic expertise to guide clients toward meaningful, inclusive communication. We understand that cultural and legislative frameworks vary - this guide is for brands in a position to welcome LGBTQ+ travellers openly and confidently.
Here are seven updated steps to help unlock the power of the LGBTQ+ travel market in 2025:
1. Understand the LGBTQ+ consumer
The LGBTQ+ community is as rich and varied as the rainbow flag that symbolises it - spanning countless cultures, identities, and lifestyles. Like any other demographic, it’s not a monolith. Marketing to this audience successfully means recognising that a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work.
In this blog, we’ve used “LGBTQ+” for consistency, but language continues to evolve. The key is to be respectful, inclusive and current, and above all, authentic.
The travel industry still has work to do. Media portrayals are improving, but misrepresentation and stereotypes persist. Acknowledging the community’s individuality and the desire for safety, recognition, and welcome is essential.
One brand embracing this diversity in practice is Byway. As part of its anti-discriminatory stance, Byway has integrated Equaldex (a verified global knowledge base for public opinion and legal data on LGBTQ+ rights) into its trip planning platform. This allows them to communicate clearly with travellers about the realities of a destination before booking.
“By integrating this data into our trip-building knowledge, we are able to better understand and communicate to those travelling with us when a destination might be unsafe or unkind. To celebrate the launch of Equaldex and of working with Byway on bringing LGBTQI+ experiences, voices, and expertise to the forefront for Pride Month, we've curated a collection of trips that feature a mix of history, exuberance, and beauty for our LGBTQI+ travellers to indulge.”
Dr Jessi Lee Clayton, part of the Byway team says:
This curated trip collection for LGBTQI+ travellers span the UK, France and Spain, offering everything from queer heritage walks and drag brunches to historic lesbian landmarks and inclusive beach festivals. It’s a powerful example of a travel brand meeting LGBTQ+ travellers where they are with thoughtfulness, creativity and care.
Pro Tip: Avoid generalisations and take time to understand the diversity within the LGBTQ+ community. Just like any other audience, LGBTQ+ travellers have a wide range of identities, interests and travel motivations, from queer families and solo adventurers to cultural explorers and luxury seekers. Tailoring your messaging accordingly shows respect and earns trust.
2. Diversity starts at home
It’s not enough to market to the LGBTQ+ community, your internal culture must reflect the same values. Having inclusive workplace policies, supporting LGBTQ+ staff, and creating a truly welcoming environment is key to delivering a consistent and credible guest experience.
In the UK, the Stonewall Diversity Champions is a respected framework for building inclusive workplace culture. It offers training, guidance and benchmarking for employers who want to actively support LGBTQ+ staff and foster visible allyship.
Pro Tip: Consider joining a workplace inclusion programme like Stonewall’s Diversity Champions. It sends a clear signal to staff and guests alike that your brand values diversity not just externally, but from within.
If you're based outside the UK, research what guidelines or programmes are available in your region - many countries now offer formal LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion certifications or tools through local NGOs or equality bodies.
3. Be LGBTQ+ Friendly - Not Just “LGBTQ+ Friendly”
True inclusion goes far beyond a rainbow icon on your website. For your welcome to resonate, it must be backed up by training, policies, and a genuine commitment throughout your business.
One way to show that commitment is by addressing the small details that can make a big difference to LGBTQ+ guests. At Lemongrass, we’ve revised our press trip forms to offer guests the option to share their pronouns and any preferences around room types (such as double or twin beds), helping avoid assumptions and ensuring everyone feels respected and comfortable. It’s a small change, but one that contributes to a more inclusive experience.
A powerful example of destination-wide inclusion is Vienna. In 2024, it hosted the EuroGames, Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ sporting event, but its commitment goes far beyond a single event or Pride Month.
From the annual Rainbow Ball (a glamorous part of the city’s famous winter ball season), to initiatives and events like Drag Beach, Pride Run Vienna, queer concerts, and Progress Pride flags flying on the trams, Vienna demonstrates how LGBTQ+ visibility can be embedded across culture, infrastructure and tourism. Even the city’s pedestrian crossings have been adapted to promote inclusion, with traffic lights featuring same-sex and mixed-gender couples holding hands. Originally introduced to coincide with the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015, the lights were so well received they were kept as a permanent fixture, a small but powerful symbol of the city’s everyday commitment to equality.
Pro Tip: There are expert-led training services available to help hotels and travel brands deliver inclusive service. These often cover pronoun etiquette, inclusive communication, and how to respond appropriately to discriminatory behaviour. Investing in this kind of training equips your team to welcome all guests with respect, clarity and confidence.
4. Build Meaningful Relationships with LGBTQ+ Media
Publications like DIVA, Attitude, Gay Times, and OutThere are very influential and their reach extends well beyond print, with thriving online communities and social platforms.
LGBTQ+ media offer an important route to reach audiences authentically. By working with editors, writers, and content creators in this space, brands can amplify their messaging through platforms that resonate deeply with queer audiences. Whether through press trips, partnerships or advertising, meaningful engagement with LGBTQ+ media creates content that reflects real experiences and builds lasting trust.
Authentic storytelling and trusted voices are key, especially in an age of increasing scepticism around tokenism and pinkwashing.
Pro Tip: Maintain strong relationships with LGBTQ+ editors and influencers. Invite them on press trips, engage with their content, and treat them as core partners in your communications strategy.
“LGBTQ+ media isn’t just a channel - it’s a community built on trust. As a journalist and presenter in this space, I’ve seen first-hand how authentic partnerships can cut through the noise. When brands genuinely collaborate with queer creators and storytellers, they don’t just market - they connect. The difference is felt, remembered, and shared. If you want real impact, don’t just book ad space. Invest in the voices that already speak to us. Two great examples here showcase Booking.com and their continued efforts to create safe spaces for LGBT+ travellers via their Travel Proud program, and First Choice Holidays who are re-shaping the narrative when it comes to LGBT+ Travel for Gen Z’ers who want to embrace meaningful sober experiences instead of excursions built around drinking alcohol".
Aidy Smith, TV presenter, LGBT+ and Neurodivergence Travel Columnist for The Independent, @DisLabeled on TikTok and Instagram
5. Stay on Top of Trends and Legislation
LGBTQ+ travel is constantly evolving. Laws change, audiences shift, and travellers increasingly expect brands to demonstrate real commitment to inclusion, not just during Pride month, but all year round.
Ensure your team is reading LGBTQ+ travel publications and staying up to date with global travel advisories affecting LGBTQ+ travellers.
Being informed isn’t just about staying current, it’s about staying relevant.
Pro Tip: Assign someone on your team to stay informed on LGBTQ+ travel trends and policy changes. This could involve subscribing to updates from trusted sources like IGLTA, using platforms such as Equaldex to track legal and cultural climates, and setting up alerts for changes in LGBTQ+ safety or rights. Attend relevant webinars, conferences and travel industry events focused on inclusive tourism, and create space internally to share learnings. Staying informed helps your brand remain relevant, responsible and ready to adapt.
6. Take Inspiration from Brands Getting It Right
One of the most powerful ways to evolve your strategy is to look at the campaigns and destinations that are truly connecting with LGBTQ+ audiences and ask yourself why they resonate.
YOTEL made waves with its Non-Stop Pride campaign, a global brand initiative that champions all love, around the world and around the clock. They transformed selected hotels into hubs of LGBTQ+ culture and celebration.
Meanwhile, social enterprise Sama Sama International is showing how tourism can create real, long-term impact for marginalised communities. Their latest project, Trans Histórias, launched this Pride Month and uses tourism to create dignified employment, celebrate unheard stories, and foster inclusion for trans women in the city.
Co-created with five trans women, the project offers walking tours that share both the history of Brasilia and the women’s personal experiences - reclaiming public spaces and reshaping narratives in a country where trans people still face extreme violence and exclusion.
“The Trans Histórias project is about more than just tourism. It's also about agency, dignity and long-term impact. By co-creating walking tours with 5 trans women in Brasilia, we’re supporting them to tell their own stories and shift how their city is seen and experienced. The co-creation process also means that we're creating spaces for their stories to really be listened to, not just as a one-off, but as a longer-term opportunity that is also an opportunity for them to earn a living on their own terms. This Brasilia project is just the beginning. We hope to grow this model with more trans, LGBTQIA+ and other underrepresented communities to make tourism experiences more inclusive, representative and truly community-led.”
As Jayni Gudka, Founder of Sama Sama International, explains:
The project recently received support from The Conscious Travel Foundation and the Latin American Travel Association (LATA), but further funds are needed to deliver guide training, workshops and campaign filming. Supporters can donate or share the campaign here:
https://chuffed.org/project/trans-historias-brasilia
These examples show that meaningful engagement isn’t about temporary gestures - it’s about creating spaces where LGBTQ+ voices are heard, celebrated and centred, both in travel marketing and on the ground.
Pro Tip: Watch what others are doing well and ask what makes it work. Is it authenticity? Boldness? Year-round consistency? Then ask what your brand can do more bravely, visibly, or meaningfully.
7. Show Up and Mean It
Finally, being a truly inclusive destination or hotel means showing up year-round, not just during Pride Month.
Pinkwashing, marketing to the LGBTQ+ community without backing it up internally, is still a major concern. Travellers are quick to spot insincerity.
Work with organisations like IGLTA, attend LGBTQ+ travel conferences, and support local queer-owned businesses and community initiatives.
This isn’t just about doing the right thing, it’s also smart business. Inclusion, done right, builds loyalty, trust, and long-term brand value.
Pro Tip: Get involved with IGLTA or local LGBTQ+ tourism groups, and make your support visible, year-round, in ways that matter.
Final thoughts
The LGBTQ+ community is not a trend, it’s a global audience that deserves to feel seen, safe, and celebrated.
If your brand is in a position to welcome LGBTQ+ travellers with authenticity and care, the benefits, both commercial and cultural, are immense.
Let’s move beyond the rainbow sticker and into real, meaningful action.