Global crises and the uncertainty they create are known to encourage populism among people worldwide and, unfortunately, minorities often seem to be the first to be attacked in the political turmoil.
This was the message from an ITB Berlin panel discussion on the challenges that LGBTQ+ tourists continue to face in 2023.
However, Peter Jordan, keynote speaker at the LGBTQ+ Tourism and Resilience talk and Founder of Gen C Traveller, is confident the community can master any new challenges.
As a starting point for how tourism around the world can take a stand for LGBTQ+ travellers, Alex Belopolsky of the Munich Proud at Work Foundation, appeals not to simply accept decisions contradicting LGBTQ+ values, such as that of UNWTO to make the Uzbek city of Samarkand the World Tourism Capital. In Uzbekistan, homosexuality is punishable with a jail sentence.
The Director of Munich Tourism, Events and Hospitality, Benedikt Brandmeier, points out that the tourism industry can strive to treat tourists not simply as cash-dispensing hobby photographers, but as people who are part of everyday local activities. He admitted this was sometimes difficult to reconcile with the LGBTQ+ community’s desire for safe spaces, but such efforts had proved successful at specific carnival events.
Rachel Ferguson of Visit Philadelphia agrees: many visitors belong to more than one marginalised minority, as a person of colour or in the role of a mother, for example. The solution, with inclusion as its goal, must be to afford all groups respect so they can realise their potential with dignity as free persons.
To thank LGBTQ+ tourists who have made a difference, Thomas Bömkes, the LGBTQ+ tourism adviser to ITB Berlin, has announced Karl Krause and Daan Coljin as winners of the Pioneer Award for innovative achievements for the community. They have travelled around the world as a male couple with their travel blog, recently published a book, and contributed decisively to spreading a positive LGBTQ+ message.
Finally, Barbara Poma of the onePulse Foundation from Orlando, who has dedicated herself to the fight against hatred of LGBTQ+ people, including tourists, invites everybody to travel to Florida to help local efforts to promote inclusion which are under threat from bigotry and homophobia.
