LGBTQ+ Travel Evolves
New Report Reveals LGBTQ+ Canadians Are Changing How They Travel for Safety
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A new Booking.com report finds that only 38% of LGBTQ+ Canadians are "out" while travelling — compared to 77% in their personal lives. Ottawa Sun The gap points to a growing trend researchers are calling "closet-cations": hiding your identity to stay safe on the road.
Four in 10 Canadian LGBTQ+ travellers now take more precautions than they did a few years ago, Calgary Herald according to the report, which surveyed 839 Canadians and 13,331 LGBTQ+ travellers across 19 countries between February and March 2026.
Deleting Apps and Carrying Burner Phones at the Border
The precautions LGBTQ+ Canadians are taking are concrete and practical. Calgary Sun Reports show 25% share their live location with friends while abroad. Another 20% use VPNs to hide their online activity. Eighteen percent delete dating apps before crossing borders, and 14% carry a second "burner" phone.
Forty-two percent of North American trans travellers say their anxiety has grown in recent years. National Post Twenty-six percent point to gendered bathrooms and changing rooms as a key trigger. Ian Ackland, Managing Director of the Americas at Booking.com, said the data reveals "a real tension... with many feeling the need to filter or hide their identity just to experience a bucket-list destination safely."
A Worsening Global Climate Drives the Shift
The report lands as global conditions for LGBTQ+ people are getting harder. Rainbow Railroad recorded a 51% spike in help requests in 2025, reaching over 20,000 people. For the second year in a row, the United States ranked as a top country of origin for LGBTQ+ refugees seeking help — a trend that sped up after the 2024 U.S. election.
Travel risk firm Safeture identified 91 "high-risk" countries in its 2026 map. Canada's own government issued a travel advisory for the U.S. as far back as August 2023, warning 2SLGBTQI+ citizens that some state laws may affect them. Content creator Josh Rimer put it plainly, saying that while the travel industry has improved, "broader social and political trends have created setbacks." The Whig
Progress and Pinkwashing Exist Side by Side
Despite the anxiety, 74% of Canadian LGBTQ+ travellers reported at least one positive experience tied to their identity in the past year. Ottawa Sun Booking.com's "Travel Proud" certification program has now scaled to over 142,000 properties across 20,000 cities, giving travellers verified safe options rather than vague "gay-friendly" labels.
But critics warn that a 75-minute staff training workshop does not fix deep safety problems at the destination level. Some call the practice "pinkwashing" — using LGBTQ+ branding without real commitment. Ryan Massel, a travel content creator, noted that decriminalization in a country "doesn't mean their population isn't working against you." Calgary Herald
A $385 Billion Market That Destinations Risk Losing
The financial stakes are real. The global LGBTQ+ tourism market is worth $385 billion in 2026 and is projected to hit $660 billion by 2033. In Canada alone, the market is estimated at $12 billion. Destinations seen as hostile are already paying a price.
In the U.S., 80% of LGBTQ+ respondents now view Florida as unwelcoming. Fifty percent of professional meeting planners say they are hesitant to book events there. National Post Meanwhile, 37% of LGBTQ+ travellers say they now trust AI tools over humans to find safe neighbourhoods — using technology to scout destinations before they ever book a flight.
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