Representatives will be in attendance from hotel chains, buyers, travel agents, tour operators, and influencers. Milan and the whole of Italy will bring together the elite of the international tourism industry with names such as Disney Vacation, Hilton, Marriott, Delta Airlines, and many operators and tourist destinations from over 80 countries.
The 38th IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association World Convention promoted by AITGL (Italian LGBTQ+ tourism organization) in collaboration with ENIT (Italy National Tourism Agency) and the Municipality of Milan has the decisive support of the US Consulate of Milan and the European Travel Commission on the Pre-Opening and Opening evenings.
“Social sustainability is now an indispensable theme on the European agenda.”
These are the words of Alessio Virgili, President of the IGLTA 2022 Promoting Committee and CEO of the Sonders & Beach group. “Inclusive hospitality is not taken for granted and qualifies the tourist offer.
“My personal battle as an entrepreneur and as an activist relates to the LGBTQ+ community but is integrated with the richness that any diversity offers us. In 2002, I founded a company on this opportunity to arrive today to chair an Italian group of international scope that bases its business on respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion.!
“In 2010, I started a journey to bring the IGLTA World Convention on LGBTQ Tourism to Italy among a thousand obstacles. I strongly wanted this event to send a message to the millions of LGBTQ+ travelers and their supporters, relatives, and friends around the world. The message we are launching today is that Italy is a welcoming country, as demonstrated by the various territories and companies that will [be] experience[d] on this occasion [of] the value of this segment from an ethical but also an economic point of view.”
The CEO of ENIT, Roberta Garibaldi, stated: “The profiling of travelers is essential to guide the offer and make it more efficient. Today, we tend to talk about tourism, that is, specific and new needs and targets. Directing and addressing the trip to the LGBTQ world is a relevant choice for its potential in light of the meaning it has assumed in terms of presence with T.O. and dedicated services.”
This was a comment by the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, “and I thank AITGL, ENIT, the American Consulate, the European Travel Commission, and all the organizations involved in organizing this event.
“The IGLTA Convention represents an important opportunity for the growth of our city, both from an economic, social, and cultural point of view. Milan is a tourist destination of great national and international appeal and is an open tolerant city, a point of reference in the affirmation and recognition of civil rights. Two aspects that I am sure the LGBTQ+ tourism convention will be able to enhance, giving a significant boost to the development of sustainable and inclusive tourism in the city.”
Said the Councilor for Sport, Tourism, and Youth Policies of the Municipality of Milan, Ms. Martina Riva: “The IGLTA Convention is the largest event dedicated to inclusive tourism in the world, and Milan is proud to host it.
“Tourism is welcome[ing], hospitality, and inclusion. Yet still too often for the LGBTQ+ community, traveling can mean suffering discrimination. Anyone who stays in Milan even for a few hours whatever their sexual orientation must feel included and welcome anywhere.
“It is this thought that guides us as an administration in the development of a truly tourist proposal inclusive, sustainable, and attractive of quality in line with Milan’s commitment to the affirmation, recognition, and defense of civil rights.
“I believe that the attractiveness of our city will be enhanced by the IGLTA Convention thanks to the dialogue and proposals of the operators in the sector active at [the] national and international level who will take part in it.”
The program for the Convention foresees for October 25, the exclusive pre-opening at Terrazza Martini, an evening that will also see the gala of the third edition of the prize 2022, an Italian award recognized to tourist realities that are committed to inclusive hospitality promoted by Quirky Magazine with the patronage of AITGL.
The event sees ITA Airways as the main sponsor and Martini and RINA as sponsors. Terrazza Martini, in the center of Milan, is the most evocative place to enjoy the view of the Milan Cathedral and the entire city.
Tags: International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, IGLTA Global Convention, Milan
