If this is your first time reading one of my blog posts, Rainbow Getaways helps members of the LGBTQ community choose, plan, book, and prepare for their vacations to destinations worldwide. While this is the service that you would expect from a travel concierge, what sets Rainbow Getaways apart is the focus on our community.
The LGBTQ community as a whole is better traveled than our counterparts. Yet, we face some unique challenges that otherwise go unnoticed when working with a travel agency outside our community. If you’re curious about what these challenges are, keep reading.
1. Safety Concerns of the Community
One of the main concerns for the LGBTQ community is if the destination is safe for us to be ourselves. While the number has gotten smaller over time, there are still countries that criminalize same-sex relationships and activities. Traveling to countries like Jamaica, Egypt, and Russia presents a higher risk to our community, given it’s illegal to express ourselves.
These countries are still remarkable places to visit with a rich history, beautiful historical sites, and some of the best beaches in the world, but you need to be prepared. When you work with a travel advisor in the LGBTQ community, we can help you prepare for a trip to a region that is not as welcoming as we’d like. This is similar to a travel advisor helping a woman prepare to travel to a country that requires them to wear a hijab while in public. The destinations are still worth visiting if they are on your personal bucket list.
2. We Know LGBTQ Owned Accommodations
Staying in an accommodation owned by a member of the LGBTQ community provides freedoms that many of us are not familiar with in our daily lives. The liberty to walk around the property holding hands with your partner or going to the clothing-optional sundeck without a peeping Karen judging you from a distance makes the experience worth it alone.
But the benefits don’t stop there. Staying at an LGBTQ-owned accommodation gives you access to be as social as you want with other community members. Some of my closest friends have been met on vacations because we met with shared interests. Plus, for those who look for added excitement in the bedroom, there’s an app full of connections within a few meters ;).
3. We Know the Subgroups of Community
Because we are a part of the community, we know that being gay isn’t just a matter of liking other men, or being a lesbian isn’t about liking other women. We know the differences between the Twinks and Bears in the gay community or the differences between Butch or Lipstick Lesbians (and all the other variants that would turn this post into an entire dissertation).
Because we live in the LGBTQ community, we can make sure that the type of vacation you take will match your expectations. As a personal example…before I became a travel advisor, I talked to one about an Atlantis Events cruise. They focused on what they usually would talk about, the cost, and the destination and were clueless about the types of activities on the actual cruise. Plus, the conversation about if I would enjoy it never even came up. After I did my own research, I decided to pass on the cruise because, as a guy who has been in the Bear community as far back as I can remember, I would have felt out of place with all the Adonis’s grinding on each other.
4. We throw the best events…period
This shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone reading this blog; after all, there’s a reason why we are some of the best party planners. Whether you’re planning a vacation to participate in your favorite city’s pride or you’re traveling with a group, the events are the destination.
I love planning trips for my travelers around pride festivals. Heading to Miami, Puerto Vallarta, New York, Paris, or any other city to experience their pride festival is a fabulous way to use your PTO.
Plus, for those who love traveling with others in their own community, hosted events like the ones by Atlantis Events or Bears Getaway Events step it up even further. On the First Annual Bears Getaway Cruise for Charity, we’ll have drag bingo, cocktail parties, and optional beach excursions that will only grow with each cruise we do. Doing a group event is unlike any other type of travel and something that everyone should try at least once.
Next time you decide it’s time to plan a vacation, you reach out to Rainbow Getaways or any other LGBTQ-owned travel agency. I will make sure that your vacations are exactly what you want year after year. Schedule an initial conversation with me, and I’ll make sure your vacation is as unique as you.
Rainbow Getaways is a full-service travel concierge specializing in travel for the LGBTQ community and our allies. Each vacation is planned to meet your specific needs, so you’ll have a fabulous time on vacation. Be sure to subscribe to the Rainbow Getaways newsletter at the bottom of the page, so you never miss a post and like or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.