Italy holds its breath
With the accession to power in Italy of a far-right government, many wonder what the impact will be on the LGBTQ+ community, but also on tourism in this country highly prized by travelers.
Roberto Muzzetta, of the Italian non-profit Arcigay, believes that the risks of seeing some LGBTQ + tourists abandon Italy are very real.
“Italy already suffered from a problem of perception: the country is generally safer than the image people have of it abroad. Now, the arrival of the new government may have an impact on our tourism, as perception plays an important role when it comes to choosing a destination, especially for the LGBTQ+ community. »
He also fears that the battles waged by the Italian LGBTQ+ community in recent years – particularly on the issues of marriage and adoption for same-sex spouses – will not make much progress during the reign of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. But there is worse: “With his election, Meloni released a certain homophobic rhetoric within the population. Some will feel that this discourse is legitimized. »
However, he wants to be reassuring for LGBTQ+ tourists:
Our society is more evolved, more progressive than what the elections show. Meloni’s party only received 43% of the vote. It’s less than at the time of Berlusconi… Tourists will be safe, especially in the big cities.
Roberto Muzzetta, from Arcigay
He points out that Italy has 52 Pride events every year.
In a recent survey conducted by the Italian Association for the Promotion of LGBTQ+ Tourism (AITGL), we learned that LGBTQ+ travelers are eager to discover Italy for the first time (the country is ranked third in the world rankings, behind the United States and France). The only problem: these same travelers place Italy eighth among European countries where, they believe, security and inclusion will be at the rendezvous.
“There is still a lot of work to be done”, recognizes Alessio Virgili, president of the AITGL.
Go beyond the flag
“It’s easy to do a promotional campaign and integrate a rainbow flag. LGBTQ+ tourists need to look further before deciding where to go. »
Richard Grey, senior vice president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Tourist Board, is formal. Not all destinations are equal before the Lord when it comes to welcoming and including LGBTQ+ travellers.
How to separate the wheat from the chaff? First, find out about local laws. Richard Gray also recommends checking where each country stands on human rights lists, such as those made by Human Rights Watch. “We can also check if there are Pride centers or LGBTQ+ organizations on site. »
In a survey released by the IGLTA on November 3, travelers are also keen to support LGBTQ+ organizations at their destination (69% of respondents) or to favor businesses owned by members of the community.
This last point probably works in favor of Fort Lauderdale, one of the most welcoming destinations for LGBTQ+ tourists according to several people interviewed by The Press. “There are hundreds of businesses run by gay people in Fort Lauderdale,” says Richard Grey. And we have one of the highest Democratic Party votes in the state…”
Another way to see if the country is open to homosexual, lesbian, trans or non-binary tourists: the offer (or not) of products developed especially for them. Miguel Sanz Castedo, Director General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism of Spain, explains: “Some museums, especially in Madrid, offer guided tours of their collection with a queer angle. There are also itineraries elsewhere that include significant places for the community, LGBTQ+ film or music festivals…”
“Just in February 2023, four LGBTQ+ cruises will depart from Fort Lauderdale,” adds Richard Grey.
Prioritize security
Should we boycott a destination where the rights of the LGBTQ+ population are not respected? The question has been debated. If the IGLTA advocates the continuation of dialogue with these destinations, without organized boycotts, others are more concerned about the safety of travelers.
This is the case of Richard Grey. “This is especially true for trans people. Safety is their first concern when choosing a destination. Their life is at risk. Destinations need to be aware of this and have infrastructure to accommodate them. ” For instance ? Pools or secluded beaches, private villas.
Miguel Sanz Castedo goes further.
We forget that 70% of the members of the community are not men in their twenties who can go unnoticed. There are families with young children, trans people, older couples. The latter cannot, or do not necessarily want to hide. They need to think about their safety first. These travelers should feel that they can request a double bed at the hotel reception without feeling uncomfortable.
Miguel Sanz Castedo, Director General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism of Spain
“When it comes to tourism for the LGBTQ+ community, there is always a lot of interest in the G, for gay men, adds Miguel Sanz Castedo. However, the travel industry is growing, and not just among homosexuals between the ages of 20 and 40. »
Promotion through legislation
“I see the future of LGBTQ+ tourism with mixed emotions,” says Miguel Sanz Castedo. Hate crimes are on the rise all over the world and in some places the community is directly targeted, such as in Russia or Iran. On the other hand, Spain is in the process of passing a law on the rights of trans people which will be one of the most progressive in the world. »
“It’s the new frontier, trans rights, which remains one of the most disadvantaged communities in the world, one of those who suffer the most discrimination. This is perhaps the best publicity we can do to make our destination known…”
Paid tourism
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SONDERS & BEACH
LGBTQ+ tourists enjoy immense purchasing power.
- US$4.5 trillion: Global LGBTQ+ purchasing power
- US$103 billion: annual travel spending by the LGBTQ+ community in the United States
- 2.7 billion euros: total annual expenditure by the LGBTQ+ community in Italy alone
Source: IGLTA
Part of the travel costs for this report were paid by the AITGL and the Italian tourist office ENIT, which did not exercise any right of inspection on this article.