Sure Travel Journey Vol 4.3 Winter 2018 | Page 17

Clockwise from left: Sitges in Spain is a
world-famous LGBTQI destination, even
more so during festival time. Pink cruises
rank high on the itinerary for luxury and
like-mindedness.
© TREJO/SHUTTERSTOCK
against LGBTQI travellers, from being
denied access to guesthouses to outright
violent attacks. It’s one of the reasons that
Van Niekerk “always sticks to gay-friendly
destinations” when travelling with
his partner.
Sure Travel marketing assistant Martin
Janse van Rensburg agrees that safety
continues to be a major concern for pink
travellers, which makes it all the more
important for the hospitality industry to
offer LGBTQI-specific options. “From
a disapproving look to getting robbed
or assaulted, these travellers are very
cautious when picking a travel destination
because they are well aware of the
risks they’re taking when travelling to a
foreign land,” he says.
LGBTQI travellers
gravitate towards “pink
destinations” because they
want to feel comfortable
enough to be exactly who
they are at all times while
on holiday.
OUT AND ABOUT
Another reason LGBTQI travellers
gravitate towards “pink destinations”,
says Van Niekerk, is that they want to feel
comfortable enough to be exactly who
they are at all times while on holiday.
“Gay people are tired of pretending to
be straight,” he explains. “There is nothing
worse than forcing a grin at a clumsy
five-star hotel host who has failed to
understand that a same-sex couple in the
honeymoon suite has not requested two
single beds.”
This need has fuelled strong demand
for gay-specific travel destinations, guides
and accommodation worldwide – as seen
by the huge success of organisations
such as the International Gay and
Lesbian Travel Association (a network of
pink-friendly tourism businesses) and the
California-based company RSVP Vacations.
Janse van Rensburg says countries
like South Africa, Canada, New Zealand,
Australia and Ireland are prime destinations
for travel since they’ve come out in favour
of same-sex marriage, while “pink cruises”
are especially popular because they ensure
“everyone on board will be like-minded
and fully comfortable in the environment.”
He adds that most diverse, cosmopolitan
cities are also sought-after destinations for
pink travellers, as locals tend to be more
open-minded.
LUXURY & EXPERIENCES ARE IN
The pink traveller, says Janse van Rensburg,
is the ideal tourist – they take longer trips
at a greater frequency and spend more per
day due to a statistically higher disposable
income and a tendency towards luxury.
Van Niekerk concurs: “Internationally, gay
people celebrate a sense of belonging…
travelling, reading and hosting are a part of
our DNA.”
Globally, pink travellers spend the
equivalent of US$211 billion (approximately
R2.5 trillion) per year, according to 2016
numbers from Out Now Business Class, a
MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE // 17