On Tuesday, February 5th, The IGLTA Foundation held its first symposium on LGBT travel.  ”We’re Out, Are You In?” was designed to support the Foundation’s mission: Using the power of LGBT travel to build bridges with communities worldwide.  The event addressed the questions and concerns of tourism boards and travel writers interested in engaging the LGBT travel market, while also providing an opportunity to unveil the foundation’s initiatives.

The event united more than 80 key players from tourism businesses, media, government, and charitable organizations around the topic of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender travel.

New York City’s Desmond Tutu Center set the stage for a keynote address on global tourism trends from Yolanda Perdomo, Director of the Affiliate Members Programme for the United Nations World Tourism Organization. This was followed by a discussion on LGBT destination marketing with participants representing the Czech Republic, NYC & Company, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

A media panel delved into the complicated issue of travel coverage as vacation fantasy versus its thornier realities for minority travelers; panelists came from Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, the Society of American Travel Writers, and Curve magazine.

Among the attendees were representatives from the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Center for Black Equality, Arcus Foundation, Greek National Tourism Organization, the U.S. Department of State, and Open Society Foundations.

For event photos, please visit www.igltafoundation.org/photos/feb-2013-symposium-on-lgbt-travel/

Downloads

• IGLTA Foundation Official Press Release (PDF 64Kb)
• Event program and speaker bios (PDF 650Kb)
• UNWTO presentation on global tourism trends (PDF 3Mb)
• NYC & Company Report on Economic Impact of Same-Sex Marriage (PDF 379Kb)

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