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Booking.com’s Travel Proud program drives inclusive hospitality in New Zealand
With almost half of Kiwi LGBTQ+ travelers reporting experiences of discrimination, Booking.com is working to ensure its Travel Proud badge offers more than surface-level support.
According to Todd Lacey, regional manager of Oceania, the program has been designed to drive change at the operational level within accommodations.
“With our Travel Proud program, we have a clear commitment from properties to ensure inclusive hospitality is delivered in their establishment. This is demonstrated through having an active Travel Proud trained representative on site, and the property making a commitment and ensuring that there is an up-to-date Travel Proud Customer Toolkit available to support all team members,” Todd says.
Support extends beyond the accommodation itself. “In addition, our customer service team is also on hand 24/7 to support customers with any questions or concerns they might have about their stay, including when it comes to their experience as an LGBTQ+ traveller,” he says.
Todd says that cultural and regional attitudes can shape how quickly the program is adopted, but New Zealand has revealed itself as a global leader in embracing the initiative.
“We are mindful that beliefs differ around the world and that everyone is at a different stage in their own individual inclusion journey. Our Travel Proud program creates an opportunity for our partners to increase their knowledge and understanding of some of the unique barriers that LGBTQ+ travellers face,” he says.
“New Zealand was actually one of the very first markets to launch the Travel Proud programme in 2021 and the Oceania region overall ranks 7th in the world with the most properties that have undertaken this training since then. New Zealand also saw a 34% increase in Travel Proud properties in the past year alone, highlighting how passionate Kiwi accommodations are about respecting and understanding their guest needs,” Todd says.
Measuring meaningful impact
While program participation numbers are a start, Todd emphasizes the importance of qualitative feedback in evaluating Travel Proud’s success.
“While growth in the number of Travel Proud properties is one indicator, success is also measured through partner feedback, guest reviews, and insights gathered by our customer service teams,” he says.
As LGBTQ+ travellers become more visible and events like international tours and regional Pride festivals influence travel trends, Booking.com is adapting its strategy to remain not just relevant, but supportive.
“We remain committed to making travel easier and more inclusive for LGBTQ+ communities. Our marketing strategy highlights destinations and properties across the world that are Travel Proud certified, while partnerships with Pride events and LGBTQ+ ambassadors help us amplify inclusive travel experiences.
We’re also proud to have worked to ensure our campaigns have an element of giving back to the local LGBTQ+ community, such as our contributions to Outline Aotearoa.” Todd says.
