As we celebrate Pride this year, Amadeus is looking at some of the challenges still faced by LGBTQ+ travelers around the world – and the steps we can take to combat discrimination in our industry.
Let’s begin with some data. 39 percent of LGBTQ+ travelers consider it ‘important’ that a destination is ‘LGBT-friendly’ when deciding where to visit. According to the annual LGBTQ Tourism & Hospitality Survey, this is the most significant factor when booking, ahead of a destination offering natural beauty, being affordable or offering cultural experiences.
However, such advance planning and prioritizing ‘LGBT-friendly’ destinations does not guarantee freedom from discrimination. New findings fromBooking.com, which surveyed more than 5,500 LGBTQ+ travelers from around the globe, reveal 82% have had less-than-welcoming – or uncomfortable – experiences when traveling, with 65% reporting they have had to consider their safety and wellbeing.According to the report, 55% of LGBTQ+ travelers say they have experienced discrimination while traveling, citing stereotyping (28%) and being stared at, laughed at or verbally abused by other travelers (18%) or locals (17%) as top offenders.
Concrete Steps
Simply understanding the scale of the problem is a first, small step toward tackling it. But much more needs to be done. Amadeus stands with LGBTQ+ travelers and is taking concrete steps to make their journeys better. We’re working with partners to provide necessary safety information to travelers, including LGBTQ+ travelers. We also welcome positive moves in countries that are increasing gender markers on official documents. For example, sinceApril US citizens have been able to select an ‘X’ as their gender marker on passport applications. In official terms, the ‘X’ refers to ‘Unspecified or another gender identity,’ a definition designed to be respectful of individuals’ privacy while advancing inclusion. We view this as a positive development, making travel freer.
Amadeus products have been adapted to support the use of Gender X. Further, Cytric by Amadeus has been updated to support Gender X. Employees who identify themselves with other gender categories, none, or that do not wish to reveal such information are able to set "unspecified" or "undisclosed" gender in their profile and will be able to see this clearly reflected when making a booking using our systems.
Amadeus Proud
To us, diversity and inclusion are about ensuring that we recruit and retain a diverse workforce of talented people, but also that we nurture a culture that is inclusive, welcoming and celebrates difference. This is why we have been actively engaging with the LGBTQ+ community and ensuring that all our employees feel valued, with equal access to opportunities across the business as they build their careers.
Not only is focusing on diversity and inclusion the right thing to do, it is also a business imperative. By improving group performance, complex problem-solving and helping us to understand our global client pool better, diversity helps us to be more innovative as a company and respond to opportunities in a changing marketplace.
Support for the LGBTQ+ community is an issue that has been front of mind for Amadeus for many years – and Pride month gives us an opportunity to look back at some of the milestones we have reached. In 2018, we became the 150th company to support the UN Standards of Conduct for Business for tackling discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, & Intersex people, showing our commitment to equal opportunities. Amadeus is also a founding member of REDI (Red Empresarial por la Diversidad e Inclusión LGBTI+), the first Spanish business network and forum of professionals promoting LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion at work in organizations across Spain.
Amadeus Proud, an employee resource group where LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies can come together to support the inclusion of LGBTQ+ employees in the company, is a growing space where everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, is welcome and not only accepted, but embraced. The organization has chapters in our Bangkok, Bengaluru, Heathrow and Nice offices, as well as the Madrid headquarters.
All employees deserve to feel valued, just as each traveler should be free to explore the world without fear. Both internally and externally, Amadeus is working to help make this a reality.
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