LGBTQ+ travelers continue to balance authentic self-expression with personal safety when exploring the world, according to Booking.com’s latest Travel Proud Research Report.
The survey, described by the company as its most comprehensive LGBTQ+ travel study to date, gathered responses from 13,331 travelers across 19 countries, including 839 respondents in Canada. The findings suggest that while many travelers want to be open about their identity, safety concerns continue to influence how and where they travel.
Safety Concerns Shape Travel Decisions
Among Canadian respondents, only 38% said they are openly “out” while traveling, despite 77% being open about their identity with close friends. More than one-third (38%) said they would conceal their identity to visit a bucket-list destination.
The research also found that Canadian LGBTQ+ travelers who identified as “not out” reported fewer negative experiences related to their sexual orientation during the previous 12 months and were the only group in which a majority said they did not feel anxious while traveling.
Four in ten Canadian respondents said they now take more safety precautions than they did a few years ago. Common measures include sharing live locations with trusted contacts (25%), using VPNs (20%), deleting dating apps before crossing borders (18%) and carrying burner phones (14%). Additionally, 40% said they regularly assess their surroundings before showing affection to a partner in public.
Transgender Travelers Face Greater Challenges
The report found that transgender travelers continue to face heightened concerns. Across North America, 42% said they have become more anxious about traveling in recent years, compared with a global average of 34%. The use of gendered facilities, including public restrooms and changing rooms, was identified as the leading source of anxiety.
Positive Experiences Still Outnumber Negative Ones
Despite ongoing concerns, nearly three-quarters (74%) of Canadian respondents reported at least one positive travel experience related to their gender identity or sexual orientation during the past year.
Examples included seeing Pride flags at accommodations (39%), access to gender-neutral restrooms (39%), staff using correct pronouns (31%) and interactions with LGBTQ+ employees (29%). Nearly half (46%) also said they believe acceptance has improved over the past several years.
AI Becoming a Travel Planning Tool
The study also highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence in trip planning. Nearly half (46%) of Canadian LGBTQ+ travelers said they used AI to help plan a trip over the past year.
Among respondents, 44% said they trust AI to provide objective, non-judgmental advice related to LGBTQ+ travel, while 40% said they feel more comfortable asking AI sensitive questions about a destination than asking another person. Additionally, 39% said AI is effective at discovering LGBTQ+-friendly venues and experiences, and one-third would like dedicated inclusion-focused search tools, such as Booking.com’s Travel Proud badge and LGBTQ+-friendly accommodation filter.
