Inclusive tourism 

Booking.com have begun an initiative aimed at raising awareness in hotels and other hospitality facilities about welcoming practices for LGBTIA+ customers, further helping guests to consciously choose the right place for themselves.

The project includes a training program, where on completion a facility is awarded a “vignette” of inclusivity, visible at the time of booking so that guests can have this element as part of their decision-making process. 

“We conducted research in 25 countries,” explains Booking.com Country Manager Alessandro Callari: 84 percent of the sample surveyed said they had been victims of incidents of discrimination in the facilities where they were hosted; 60 percent said they had also been afraid for their safety. Through this program we want to make the world of hospitality more inclusive. There is a big knowledge gap that we still need to bridge.”

The project, presented in Milan on Feb. 16, 2023 called “Travel Proud,” will be hosted by Booking.com, and it’s hoped it will develop by involving as many tourism websites as possible moving forwards.

Maria Cecilia Castellazzi,  Trainee Lawyer