A new Kayak travel hub created by – and for – LGBTQ+ travellers combines queer-friendly advice with hot tips and must-see destinations. Olivia Palamountain reports
Kayak has introduced a dedicated travel hub designed by and for LGBTQ+ travellers planning domestic and international getaways. (According to a ranking by Equaldex, the best places for queer travellers are Canada, Uruguay, Malta, Chile, Mexico, Denmark, Spain, Germany, Bazil and the US.)
Available to access here, the portal is geared up to serve the queer community with comprehensive information about LGBTQ+-friendly destinations, events and accommodation, along with safety tips and guides to ensure enjoyable and secure vacations.
Jason Brillon, communications lead of Kayak’s Pride ERG (employee resource group) team, emphasises the importance of additional travel precautions for the LGBTQ+ community. He says: “While the world has continued to become a more accepting and welcoming space, the unfortunate reality is that members of the LGBTQ+ community like myself still need to take additional travel precautions in order to have a safe and enjoyable vacation.
“Kayak’s new LGBTQ+ travel hub combines educational information and safety tips with must-see international events and destinations to create a much-needed one-stop shop for insight, information and inspiration.”
Developed in close collaboration with Kayak’s Pride ERG team, the website aims to provide a welcoming and accepting space for LGBTQ+ travellers.
It also features personal travel stories and advice from influential voices within the community. Users who would like to contribute their own travel recommendations, videos and images to the travel hub community page can write to Kayak at [email protected].
Sophie Gelsthorpe, chief people officer at Kayak, highlights the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. She says: “As a global travel company, we take pride in our diverse workforce, and continuously seek out opportunities to enhance our product portfolio based on our own employee, and user experience.
“The LGBTQ+ travel hub is our latest testament to this, where we’re inviting diverse voices from inside Kayak and beyond to share their first-hand travel stories and recommendations. By doing so, we aim to create an inclusive and welcoming space for travel lovers everywhere.”