Travel Proud: Everything you need to know

We filter places, not people. Through our Travel Proud program, we’re helping LGBTQ+ travelers find properties that have taken extra steps designed to help them better understand their needs.

We want everyone to be able to enjoy travel to the fullest. And we really do mean everyone, no matter who you are or who you love. Yet our research shows that more than half of LGBTQ+ people have experienced discrimination while traveling. Travel Proud is our way of trying to change that. Our free Travel Proud training gives accommodation providers a fresh perspective on LGBTQ+ travelers’ challenges and provides practical suggestions for how to make all their guests feel truly welcome.

Travel Proud training

The core of our Travel Proud program, and the first step for an accommodation partner to be recognized with a Travel Proud badge, is a 90-minute online inclusive hospitality training session. We make this available to all of our accommodation partners in partnership with HospitableMe. Focusing on the unique challenges and barriers that LGBTQ+ communities face when traveling, the goal of the training is to help hoteliers and accommodation providers see things from a different perspective and provide some practical skills and techniques partners can immediately put into practice to help contribute to guests encountering a more inclusive experience. 

The training is available in 11 languages: English, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Croatian, Japanese, Greek, Portuguese, Thai, German, and French. There are now more than 150,000 Travel Proud properties globally, with Travel Proud stays available in 163 countries and territories and more than 20,000 cities and destinations.

Putting Travel Proud training into practice

After completing the online course, they commit to implementing what they’ve learned and making the Travel Proud Customer Toolkit available to all guest-facing staff. The property then receives the Travel Proud badge on their property page on Booking.com. The training is available free of charge to all of our partners and includes access to additional resources, like the toolkit mentioned above, which outlines simple steps our partners can continue to take to help everyone feel truly welcome.

How to find Travel Proud properties

Travelers can find Travel Proud properties using the “Travel Proud (LGBTQ+ friendly)” filter, which is in the “Travel Group” section of filters. Or, they can use the Smart Filters tool and search for “Travel Proud,” “LGBT friendly,” or other similar terms.

1. Helping LGBTQ+ people choose with confidence

We highlight Travel Proud properties with the Travel Proud rainbow suitcase badge. This signifies at least one member of staff at the accommodation has completed the free Travel Proud inclusive hospitality training. This also means they’ve taken the initiative to learn more about the unique travel experiences and diverse needs of LGBTQ+ travelers. We make these properties easy to find with the “Travel Proud/LGBTQ+ friendly” filter. 

2. Helping partners be extra welcoming

Delivered with third-party inclusion experts HospitableMe, our Travel Proud training helps partners to learn more about the unique aspects of LGBTQ+ traveler experiences and the challenges many still face. It also includes practical tips they may want to consider implementing at their property to help their LGBTQ+ guests to feel more welcome, including having at least one trained Travel Proud representative that interacts with guests

3. Using inclusive language on our platform

We’re making our platform more welcoming for everyone by using language that’s inclusive. In most cases, you no longer need to choose a gendered title when you make an accommodation booking. When you create a profile, you also have a choice of gender options.

Use the Travel Proud filter to find properties that have taken inclusive hospitality training, designed to help them better understand the needs of LGBTQ+ travelers.

Are you a partner who wants to learn more about taking the Travel Proud training? Visit our dedicated section on the Partner Hub to find out more about the next steps.

If an accommodation doesn’t have a Travel Proud badge, does that mean it’s not inclusive?

No, not at all. We believe every traveler deserves to be treated with the same respect and consideration, and that’s a standard to which we hold all of our partners. As such, we don’t tolerate any form of harassment, discrimination, hate speech, manipulation, physical violence, or any other form of threatening or abusive behavior – that goes for travelers and partners alike. We have dedicated procedures in place to help support accordingly and to take any necessary actions, with our customer service team available 24/7 to assist.

Who does Booking.com partner with as part of the company’s overall inclusion efforts with LGBTQ+ communities around the world?

Alongside the global leader in inclusive hospitality education and strategy HospitableMe, who we’ve partnered with to deliver the Travel Proud training since 2021, we also partner with a number of organizations committed to LGBTQ+ inclusive travel experiences, including:

• IGLTA –  the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association and world's leading network of LGBTQ+ welcoming tourism businesses
• Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center – an NYC-based center that preserves, advances, and celebrates the legacy of the historic Stonewall Rebellion and pioneers who shaped the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement
• Pride Amsterdam – where Booking.com is the main sponsor

What research has Booking.com done into the experiences of LGTBQ+ travelers?

We’ve conducted five studies into the experiences and attitudes of LGBTQ+ travelers since the Travel Proud program launched in 2021. In our latest Travel Proud research, more than 13,300 respondents who self-identified as LGBTQ+ were surveyed across 19 countries and territories across the globe.

Is Booking.com only focusing on the needs of LGBTQ+ travelers?

We’re continuously working towards our mission of making it easier for everyone to experience the world. To that end, we also believe that by helping to make travel more inclusive for LGBTQ+ communities, we’re ultimately helping make travel more welcoming and inclusive for all travelers, including those that may not identify as LGBTQ+.