What LGBTQIA+ Travel Specialists Can Offer a Queer Traveler, From Safety to Camaraderie

This specialists list is part of Going Out, a series of stories celebrating LGBTQIA+ travel. It is an extremely gratifying experience to travel while out—to move through the world as one’s most authentic self. Some of my best memories are gallivanting in San Juan’s Old Town with my queer chosen family, partying with other LGBTQIA+ locals, and joining in on Pride Month festivities in London’s Soho neighborhood while on a solo trip. When I feel the most free on the road is when I don’t have to hide who I am as a gay man, whether that’s in the cobblestone piazzas of Florence or the neon-lit streets of Bangkok. Presenting myself to the world without shame or fear allows me to take each place in more fully, to relish in the delights of our beautiful planet and its myriad cultures and peoples. The world's largest Pride celebrations attract crowds upwards of a few million attendees each year. But it can take a lot of planning and research to find the right destinations, contexts, and communities where LGBTQIA+ travelers might feel this way. That’s when a helpful travel advisor can come in and save the day—and not just any travel advisor, but one who shares your questions a