LGBTQIA Travel in 2022

In the U.S. and many other countries, June is Pride Month, a time for the LGBTQ+ community to come together and celebrate. Parades, marches, and events honor the progress made for LGBTQ+ rights and shed light on other areas where improvement is still needed. What began as a march in June 1970 to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising of 1969 in New York has become a month of all things Pride. 

One area that has seen progress is LGBTQ+ travel. In 1964, before Stonewall and the first Pride marches, Bob Damron hopped in his car and traveled the coast of California to find safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community to gather while traveling. He collected his findings in a pocket-sized guide and called it The Address Book. It quickly became the go-to guide for LGBTQ+ travel and opened the doors for the LGBTQ+ travel industry.    

Fast forward almost 60 years to 2022, and a quick Google search delivers pages and pages of travel information, agencies, and companies catering specifically to the LGBTQ+ community. Travel companies like Atlantis, Vacaya and RFamilyVacations.com can help you plan your adult-only or family-friendly adventure. You can also find many cruises and cruise lines welcoming LGBTQ+ travelers. Among them is Celebrity Cruises' annual Pride Party at Sea, Royal Caribbean, a cruise line with a long history of being LGBTQ+ friendly, and relative newbie, Virgin Voyages, also known for its welcoming atmosphere. 

Much has changed since The Address Book was published, but unfortunately, even in 2022, safety is still a concern for LGBTQ+ travelers. One benefit of working with LGBTQ+-focused travel companies and agencies is that they do the research and know the areas that are safe. Of course, vacations do not have to be LGBTQ+-only to be safe and enjoyable. If you are more of a DIY traveler but have safety concerns, the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) provides free travel resources and information to help you plan a worry-free vacation, including travel guides and links to travel partners.  

Not all Travel Insurance is Created Equal

Travel insurance should be your next purchase once you have planned your ultimate vacation. There are many options, but trip cancellation plans offer you the best, most comprehensive benefits. In addition to providing coverage if you need to cancel your trip before you even have the chance to depart, trip cancellation plans include benefits for travel medical, travel delay, trip interruption, baggage delay, and more while you travel. 

Most travel insurance companies offer trip cancellation plans, but not all are created equal. There are a couple of definitions to understand when deciding which trip cancellation plan to buy: Traveling Companion and Family Member. On Trawick International trip cancellation plans, a Traveling Companion is someone who has coordinated travel arrangements or vacation plans with you and intends to travel with you during the trip. This person does not have to be on the same travel insurance plan as you. A Family Member includes you or your Traveling Companion's legal or common-law spouse or domestic partner, children (natural, adopted, or step), in-laws, parents, grandparents, and other immediate and extended family members.   

This is important if, for example, you are planning a trip with a friend. You buy your plane tickets, book your hotel, pre-pay for some activities, then buy trip cancellation insurance and insure all your pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs. You are ready! And then, something happens. Your friend's Domestic Partner who is not traveling with you becomes ill. The trip is canceled, and none of the trip expenses you paid are refundable. In this situation, a Trawick International trip cancellation plan could reimburse you for those pre-paid, non-refundable deposits because your friend is your Traveling Companion and your Traveling Companion's Domestic Partner is a Family Member.  

Trawick International trip cancellation plans treat everyone equally. We understand that Traveling Companion and Family Member do not look the same for everyone, and we want to help you enjoy your time together without worrying about what if something happens.   

Ready to plan your trip? Get a travel insurance quote today. 


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