Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism Supplies Free Schooling Seminar on Welcoming LBGTQ+ Guests

Submitted by Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism

Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism launches its Tourism Education Series for 2021 with this important, FREE training opportunity for the Whatcom hospitality community. The national industry’s education experts, HospitableMe, will present their signature program Everyone welcome! in a virtual meeting format. Anyone can register for the June 2, 2021 meeting, which begins with networking at 10.15 a.m. and a 90-minute program at 10.30 a.m. You can find the registration link in the event calendar under Bellingham.org/Events for June 2, 2021 or access the direct connection.

The industry’s national education experts, HospitableMe, will be launching their free Everyone Welcome! in a virtual meeting format on June 2, 2021.

“Everyone is welcome, everyone is welcome!” says Sandy Ward, CEO of Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism. “We’re launching our 2021 Tourism Education Series with this free program in the hope that county hospitality employers will encourage their employees to participate and learn how this travel community can feel welcome in Whatcom County.”

The training program will address the evolution of the language, the growing market, unconscious biases, the challenges LGBTQ + people face while traveling, and ways how everyone can do better and make the community feel welcome. Specific outcomes for participants include learning: Who are the people and communities that make up LGBTQ +? the relevance of LGBTQ + to hospitality and tourism; how LGBTQ + people were usually disregarded, insulted and excluded; Language, service, and system issues affecting LGBTQ + guests; global trends in gender identity; actionable best practices that can be implemented out of the box; as well as recommendations and resources for further learning.

Who is HospitableMe?

HospitableMe is a global leader in inclusive hospitality, providing strategy and education to tourism, retail and health organizations. Our educational programs help people and organizations to connect more comfortably, more respectfully and more authentically with different clients, guests, clients and patients. Learn more at hospitable.

Speaker Bios

Billy Kolber is Co-Founder and CEO of HospitableMe, providing comprehensive hospitality strategies and training for tourism, retail and health organizations. He graduated with a degree in biology but spent his entire career in travel running an American Express travel agency before founding OUT & ABOUT, the US’s first gay and lesbian travel magazine. Billy traveled and sang around the world with the Yale Whiffenpoofs and is a two-time annual pie contest champion in Water Island. The third generation native New Yorker has visited 72 countries and currently lives with his husband in Frankfurt.

Kenny Porpora is Co-Founder and Vice President of HospitableMe, providing comprehensive hospitality strategies and training for tourism, retail and health organizations. A trained journalist based in Columbia, he has created and curated content for some of the most well-known target marketing organizations in the world. Kenny is the New York Times best-selling author for The Autumn Balloon and his work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Buzzfeed, Salon and others, among others. He has traveled to more than 25 countries and is a self-proclaimed doggie enthusiast and future micro-jam entrepreneur.