46% Indian LGBTQ+ Travellers Conceal Identity for Dream Trips, Says Booking.com’s Research
Booking.com’s Travel Proud Report offers an interesting look at how India's LGBTQ+ community is travelling today. While travel remains a powerful form of self-expression, the findings reveal that 46% of Indian LGBTQ+ travellers would hide their identity to visit a bucket-list destination and only 31% say they are fully "out" when travelling.
By SOH Team
Nearly half of Indian LGBTQ+ travellers are willing to hide their identity to visit a bucket-list destination, while 66% are taking more safety precautions today than they did just a few years ago. Yet, despite these challenges, 94% report having had at least one positive travel experience linked to their gender or sexual identity in the past year.
These are among the key findings from Booking.com's latest Travel Proud Research Report, the company's most comprehensive study focused exclusively on LGBTQ+ travellers. Drawing insights from 13,300 LGBTQ+ travellers across 19 countries, the research offers a nuanced view of how safety, authenticity, technology and inclusivity are shaping travel decisions across the community.
Safety Shapes Travel Choices
The report reveals that many LGBTQ+ travellers continue to make difficult trade-offs between personal authenticity and safety. In India, only 31% of LGBTQ+ travellers say they are openly out while travelling, compared with 60% who are out to close friends and family.
Notably, travellers who are not openly out report fewer negative travel experiences and lower levels of anxiety, underscoring a sobering reality: the perceived safest travel experiences are often associated with concealing one's identity. Reflecting this challenge, 46% of Indian respondents say they would be willing to hide their identity in order to visit a dream destination.
Growing Precautions and Travel Anxiety
Safety concerns are increasingly influencing travel behaviour. Around 66% of Indian LGBTQ+ travellers say they now take more precautions when travelling, including sharing live locations with trusted contacts (34%), carrying burner phones (34%), using VPNs (32%) and deleting dating apps before crossing borders (28%).
More than half (56%) also report actively assessing their surroundings before showing affection towards a partner in public. The findings point to heightened concerns among transgender travellers, who continue to face disproportionately higher levels of anxiety and vulnerability when travelling.
Inclusive Experiences Matter
While challenges persist, the research also highlights significant progress. An overwhelming 94% of Indian LGBTQ+ travellers reported at least one positive experience related to their identity during travel over the past year.
The most valued indicators of inclusivity include:
- Staff using correct pronouns (45%)
- LGBTQ+ staff representation (44%)
- Pride flags and visible signs of inclusion (42%)
- Gender-neutral bathrooms (42%)
Additionally, 74% of Indian respondents believe acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals has improved in recent years.
AI Becomes a Trusted Travel Resource
Technology is emerging as an important enabler of confidence and informed decision-making. Nearly 88% of Indian LGBTQ+ travellers used AI tools to plan a trip in the past year.
Among them:
- 49% feel safer asking AI sensitive questions about local LGBTQ+ communities than asking a person.
- 48% trust AI to provide objective and non-judgmental travel advice.
- 47% believe AI is effective at discovering LGBTQ+-friendly places that may not appear through conventional search methods.
The findings suggest a growing opportunity for travel brands to leverage AI-powered tools to deliver more personalized, trusted and inclusive travel experiences.
Santosh Kumar, Regional Head, South Asia at Booking.com.
Inclusion as a Business Imperative
According to Santosh Kumar, Regional Head, South Asia at Booking.com, “The findings reinforce the importance of industry-wide inclusion initiatives. Through Booking.com's Travel Proud programme, more than 142,000 properties globally have completed LGBTQ+ inclusion training, helping travellers identify welcoming stays across more than 20,000 cities and destinations worldwide.”
The report ultimately highlights a resilient traveller segment that continues to prioritise exploration despite ongoing challenges. Notably, 69% of Indian LGBTQ+ travellers say they actively seek destinations where they can be completely authentic. For the travel industry, the message is clear: meaningful inclusion is no longer a niche offering—it is becoming a key driver of traveller trust, loyalty and growth.
