The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) hosted a Strategic Forum as part of its Global Partner Summit in Tampa, May 2025. The discussion convened IGLTA Global Partners from leading global travel brands supporting LGBTQ+ welcoming tourism. Under the theme, “Moving Forward Authentically: A Strategic Roadmap to Assess, Align, and Advance Inclusion,” the two-hour discussion addressed specific questions, including:

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• How have external pressures or internal shifts impacted your organization’s public diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy?
• What barriers are you navigating in supporting inclusion this year?
• What shared values drive your brand’s commitment to LGBTQ+ travelers and employees?
• What commitments or partnerships can help your brand in this evolving climate?

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The exchange invited participants to share current challenges — political, operational, and reputational — for their teams and companies, and for the tourism industry overall.

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5 Takeaways

• In this changing political and business landscape, ongoing self-assessment is key in DEI work.
• Establish clear, actionable metrics for success in DEI initiatives.
• Leverage the relationship with IGLTA to support authentic messages of LGBTQ+ inclusion.
• Build strategies and resilience that sustain broad DEI commitments amidst constraints.
• U.S. and non-U.S. brands require different strategies for success, shaped by their unique cultural and legal frameworks.

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Many of the points made by participants are familiar, such as the importance of authentic storytelling in DEI marketing and the power of collaboration in advancing shared goals. Considering the travel industry’s and the current U.S. landscape, however, much of the discussion focused on taking stock of core values, navigating changing guidelines, and communication strategies around DEI and LGBTQ+ commitments.

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Companies with common values and pride in their inclusivity, and those for whom IGLTA is a trusted resource, are better equipped to endure in any business climate.

• Introduction
• In this changing political and business landscape, ongoing self-assessment is key in DEI work.
• Establish clear, actionable metrics for success in DEI initiatives.
• Leverage the relationship with IGLTA to support authentic messages of LGBTQ+ inclusion.
• Build strategies and resilience that sustain broad DEI commitments amidst constraints.
• U.S. and non-U.S. brands require different strategies for success, shaped by their unique cultural and legal frameworks.
• Conclusion