Booking.com Study Provides Insights for LGBTQ Travelers

As a company that has been housing travelers for decades, Booking.com wishes to promote the idea that safe travel as a member of the LGBTQ community is possible. The reality of LGBTQ travel today is unfortunately less than welcoming. The travel franchise conducted a study amongst LGBTQ travelers in the United States that shows that negative experiences are most common while travelers are out and about in public (28%), with LGBTQ travelers from India (100%), Denmark (97%) and Mexico (93%) indicating that they are experiencing this most frequently.

Overall, the study concluded that around 72% of queer travelers have faced some sort of discrimination through the avenues that are supposed to ensure their safety.

The study itself was not all negative, though; 93% of American LGBTQ travelers reported that the majority of their travel experiences so far have been welcoming—with global gay and lesbian travelers most likely to agree (90%). Also, around six in 10 Americans reported that being a part of the LGBTQ community actually further empowered them as a traveler, with 88% saying that they do have the confidence to explore the destinations they want to visit.

Globally, gay travelers are most confident here (87%), followed by bisexual travelers (86%).

With these two things taken into account, and the desire to capitalize on the latter statistics, Booking.com developed a plan to increase a feeling of community within LGBTQ travelers through its Proud Hospitality training program. Launched initially in 2021, the 75-minute course is meant for all hosts to learn about and further understand the challenges and obstacles members of the queer community face during worldwide and domestic travel. The free course incentivizes all hosts certified to provide a welcoming experience toward all guests, with the added benefit of providing a safe and secure environment for LGBTQ travelers.

The program is available in English and French, with German and Spanish launching over the coming weeks. Currently, there are more than 10,000 Proud Certified properties across 95 countries and territories on its platform.