Whenever I travel to a place unknown to me, I always look for the queer community in the area. As a gay man, connecting with the local queer history and people everywhere I go helps me find a sense of solidarity with the community. So, I was intrigued when I saw this LGBTQ + travel index from the travel company ParkSleepFly Published September 2021.
Reportedly, it is considered “the best places for LGBTQ + travelers in the US and abroad”. The index rates travel destinations based on various metrics, such as the inclusiveness of a city’s laws and regulations, but also based on the number of local bars and clubs. That seemed absurd to me; it implies that all queer travelers want to go somewhere to party without clarifying whether those places are strictly queer-friendly. Other unusual factors include the number of hotels and their average nightly rates, which perhaps makes more sense considering that ParkSleepFly is a company that seeks to sell hotel and parking packages. But while this list raises more questions than it answers, one rules over the other – what actually makes a destination “best” for LGBTQ + travelers?
“The word ‘best’ is absolutely relative,” said Bryan Herb, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Zoom vacation, which focuses on luxury gay group travel. Herb says it’s reductive to paint people in the queer community and their travel priorities with broad lines. Conversations about queer travel already tend to center gay men, and this index does the same thing: Domestically, the top spot goes to Orlando Florida, and the runner-up is Palm Springs, California—Two travel destinations popular with gay men. (Not surprisingly, the international list Vallarta Harbor.)
This trend leaves out a lot of queer travelers, says Jill Cruse, vice president of guest experience at Olivia, a travel company for queer women. Looking at the ranking, she says: “If you say that there is a place that is the top travel destination for LGBTQ + travelers, what is the matrix for that?” Even if a ranking isolates the nebulous metric security, so Cruse , the question of what is “safe” for queer travelers depends on whether a traveler is, for example, a lesbian or a trans woman or a non-binary person or a gay person. And security also varies between destinations; some queer women might feel comfortable holding hands in public, in a city where two queer men might not.
While some queer travelers prefer destinations that are both cultural and physical, others want to get out of their comfort zone and literally take less traveled roads. Miles Mitchinson, the owner of Diversions, who specializes in adventure travel for gay groups, says his company recently had to add additional tours to Egypt due to high demand: not traditionally known as queer-friendly travel destinations. “
Mitchinson, Cruse, and Herb agree that queer group travel can be a great option for travelers who want more comfort and safety. There is also security in numbers – long live queer solidarity! – which means that some travel destinations may be more accessible than previously thought. Additionally, such companies have verified locations and are affiliated with queer-friendly vendors like hotels and local tour guides, expanding the realm for travelers to see their most authentic selves. After all, as Herb says, life is too short never to see the pyramids of Egypt.
Those who like to plan their own travel routes should critically examine their travel destinations and their role as queer visitors. Wherever we go we want to be treated with respect for our humanity; Cruse describes how this respect should be based on mutuality, and travelers of all stripes should observe local customs whenever appropriate. “Do some research,” says Mitchinson, and take advantage of the benefits LGBTQ + travel resources. “Know your goal so you can know how to protect yourself.”
When doing your research, take everything with caution. Many rankings and lists on the Internet habitually group queer people into a homogeneous mass, although in reality we are different groups within a group, with different needs and interests. Herb, for example, can’t get enough of the historical beauty and mystery of Macchu Picchu in Peru. Cruse loves the matriarchal culture of Tahiti that she visited eight times. And Mitchinson loves a little bit of everything in Thailand– beautiful beaches, delicious food and locals who love to party with friends old and new.
There is not the only “best” for every traveler, regardless of whether they are queer or straight. As if you were traveling, stay curious and ask questions to find out what makes sense for you – especially when planning your next big adventure.
