Navigating inclusivity, growth, and opportunities in LGBTQIA+ tourism
There was a festive air at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel last Sept. 28, 2023, as guests for the inaugural Tourism Pride Summit, organized by the Department of Tourism (DOT), streamed into the Rizal Ballroom to find their seats.
Drums were beating, colorfully costumed, native-inspired dancers were grooving at the entrance, and everyone was smiling as the fiesta-like theme welcomed guests to the ballroom.
The event brought together figures from various sectors, including government, academia, tourism, the media, and the LGBTQIA+ community. Despite the festive atmosphere, the subject matter was indeed serious and business-oriented.
To sum it up, the event emphasized the potential of government investments in the LGBTQIA+ tourism market, which annually spends approximately $200 billion, to significantly contribute to the growth and progress of the Philippine tourism industry.
The summit included panel discussions with the goal of advancing an inclusive and progressive tourism sector. These discussions centered on evaluating successful pride tourism initiatives from different nations, exploring the creative industry's contribution to the growth of the LGBTQIA+ tourism market (projected to surpass $.5 trillion by 2030), and addressing various related subjects.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco spearheaded the panel discussions, accompanied by a distinguished lineup that included Congressman Christopher "Toff" de Venecia from Pangasinan's Fourth District, Ronil Villacorta representing the Philippine Financial and Inter-Industry Pride (PFIP), Regine Carmelli Reyes of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), Atty. Regal Oliva, who serves as the President of the Cebu Lady Lawyers Association Inc., Girly Gravador, the proprietor of Cygnal Travel, and Assistant Professor Rielle Alcantara-Castro from the Asian Institute of Tourism at the University of the Philippines Diliman
The conversations also explored the distinct obstacles encountered by LGBTQIA+ professionals, championing the cause of inclusive workplaces, promoting gender development, and enhancing the DOT's mission by drawing from the varied travel experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Additionally, the summit explored the growth potential of LGBTQIA+ trends in tourism as a niche market, educational programs that incorporate LGBTQIA+ awareness and sensitivity training, and policies aimed at promoting understanding, respect, and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ travelers and tourism workers to make destinations more welcoming for everyone.
”We at the Department of Tourism take pride in the enormous contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community across the tourism value chain in all of the regions of the Philippines. With the very first Tourism Pride Summit, we are responding to global trends that present massive opportunities for growth by pursuing niche markets that will create more jobs in tourism,” said Secretary Frasco.
