LGBTQ FRIENDLY SWISS ALPS EXPECTED

ME News - Switzerland Tourism is the first national tourism organization with the GayComfort ™ label. With this, the organization offers all interested hotels a specialized LGBTQ training.

Before that, some cities - such as Berlin, Stockholm, Nice, Helsinki and Manchester already offered this training program, but never before a national tourism organization.​ With this, Switzerland wants to prove that all visitors are welcome, regardless of their orientation.

Training to be LGBTQ friendly

The 'Out Now Global LGBT 2020' study with 40,000 participants from 18 countries shows that three in four respondents are actively looking for an LGBTQ friendly hotel. The GayComfort training therefore wants to help hotel operators to set up their hotel in this way. Once they have successfully completed the training, the hotel receives the label. As a LGBTQ traveller, you know in advance that you are welcome during their stay at the hotel of your choice. And that you will be received there understandingly and in a friendly manner.

The training program itself is an online training program that can be taken in four languages and that familiarizes hotel staff with the four main travel challenges facing the LGBTQ community. For example, they learn to put stereotypes into perspective and to be open to a strong diversity within LGBTQ customers.

Ensure the promises

More countries and destinations are targeting a seductive advertising campaign to the LGBTQ community. The GayComfort program ensures that the promises of the advertising messages are kept, and that the LGBTQ traveller gets what they were promised.

"LGBTQ travellers have become increasingly wary of several recent cases of discrimination by counter staff against LGBTQ customers," said Ian Johnson of Out Now, the marketing agency behind the program. “You can no longer claim to be LGBTQ friendly without fulfilling that promise. An LGBTQ customer wants what every traveller wants. Before they leave on vacation, they want to know that they can relax and be themselves, and that the staff who provide them is comfortable with it. Tourist attractions, hotels and destinations that show that they can also offer a great service to this market will be the ones that really succeed. "

Switzerland is taking the lead

"Switzerland is a very progressive and tolerant country that wants to be LGBTQ friendly, and we want to do that in a very solid way," said Urs Eberhard of Switzerland Tourism. "We ensure that we can welcome our LGBTQ visitors at the highest level. The decision to make GayComfort available to all interested hotels is entirely in line with our approach and our international reputation for leading customer service."

Switzerland Tourism

www.myswitzerland.com

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TEXT
​Thierry Hanan Scheers

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Viola via Pixabay

MORE ABOUT
Switzerland, ME News,
​travel, LGBTQ

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Thierry Hanan Scheers

Thierry Hanan loves to travel without something to plan in advance and let everything just be what it is. Thierry Hanan has no fears to leave just on foot or by hitchhiking. Destination? Somewhere, nowhere and everywhere.

#traveller #backpacker
​#storyteller

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