Future
Casting What does LGBTQ+ travel of tomorrow look like?
WE ARE FAMILY! After being sequestered from our extended
families, people are looking to spend more time with parents and friends who are farther away. A rising number of LGBTQ+ vacationers are bringing along adult children, siblings, parents, and grandparents.
TRAVEL INTIMACY Gone are the days where many want to
join 10,000 other people sardined into a single venue. More and more tourists are looking for small, inherently intimate experiences and tours.
HYBRID EVENTS The half in-person, half digital events
are here to stay. Instead of a half million visitors, this year’s WorldPride saw tens of thousands and held 100 events online. Expect more to follow.
POP-UP EVENTS Keeping up a brick-and-mortar location is
expensive, especially when you may have to close or curtail your business unexpectedly. Expect more food trucks and popup parties like those put on by Chelcea Stowers (see page 78). Also expect more micro-events and personal experiences that come to you.
SAFETY REMAINS IMPORTANT Travel safety isn’t a new
buzzword for a community that has long had to worry about anti-LGBTQ+ violence, discrimination, and harassment. We’ll continue to choose our destinations carefully and gravitate to places and people who make us feel safe.
WE’RE HERE, GET USED TO IT It took a lot of work to get the
travel industry to not just accept gay and lesbian tourists but start catering to our particular needs and interests. Now it’s time for trans, nonbinary, BIPOC, plus-sized, and disabled travelers to be embraced for who we are.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PRIVILEGE 2020 has woken
more of us up to the privileges we have — and how those privileges come at the cost of others and therefore carry a responsibility. The freedom of unrestricted travel is indeed a privilege most of the world will never experience. More of us now want the places and people we support to help make LGBTQ+ lives — especially queer people of color’s lives — better.
REGENERATIVE TRAVEL Last year didn’t just bring
us a global pandemic, it also brought new awareness of social inequalities, and new urgency in addressing the climate crisis. Those elements have given credence to the new “regenerative” travel movement that aims to enrich destinations and their local communities.
REDEFINING LUXURY Luxury used to evoke images
of gold taps, silk sheets, personal space, and concierge services. Now luxuries (especially space) are being redefined as essentials. Luxury travelers want once-ina-lifetime experiences, sustainability, itineraries curated specifically for them, and contactless stays.
SLOW TRAVEL Rather than jetting off for a weekend of
drug-fueled quickies, more and more Americans — even the gayest and horniest among us — are reevaluating where and how we travel. Many travelers feel safer behind the wheel, even if that limits their reach or increases the time getting somewhere. Sometimes the journey is more powerful than the destination.
ROAD TRIP! With international travel on pause and a
common desire to limit our exposure to other people and indoor events, road trips, weekend getaways, and RVing will continue to increase in popularity.
INTO THE WILD With the emphasis on social distancing
continuing, outdoor activities are gaining in interest. An increasing number of LGBTQ+ people are venturing into the great outdoors: biking, hiking, camping, and embracing water sports.
SLOW BOAT? Cruise ships may have done more than
any other segment of the travel industry to prevent infections, but that hasn’t kept numerous passengers and crew from testing positive. Yet they have prevented big outbreaks on board. Fans of VACAYA, RSVP, Olivia, R Family Vacations, and others are likely to still queue up, even when others are still nervous about doing so.
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