Ranking Every Gay-Friendly Destination

No doubt, the world is a rapidly changing place.

But one area which seems to be taking its time is global acceptance of LGBTQ travelers. While an increasing number of destinations are welcoming gay and lesbian travelers with open arms, others continue to remain hostile to the culture.

This makes careful travel planning essential for LGBT travelers, especially in unknown corners of the world.

Now PFLAG Canada, in partnership with ad agency FCB/Six, is helping take the guesswork out of international travel for gay and lesbian travelers, with an informative new website. DestinationPride.org has turned the rainbow flag into a digital data slider that measures the gay-friendliness of every destination in the world.

This Pride Flag Helps LGBTQ+ Travellers See the World.
Destination Pride https://t.co/KPnYsIFXfb pic.twitter.com/9x5AHoBpLr

— Shannon Stephaniuk (@glossyinc) January 16, 2018

Each color in the rainbow measures a different metric: marriage equality, sexual activity laws, gender identity protections, anti-discrimination laws, civil rights & liberties and social media sentiment.

The most a destination can earn is 100 points, and the more filled out the flag is, the more likely that destination will be welcoming to LGBT travelers.

“The idea came from simple observation: Travel can be a little different for members of the LGBTQ community,” said Ian Mackenzie, executive creative director at FCB/Six in an interview with AdFreak (h/t Adweek.)

“As an example, some Caribbean islands are relatively friendly, others relatively hostile. So, navigating something as simple as booking a beach vacation can be complicated and even scary. Who wants to go to a beach where you can’t hold hands with your partner? That’s just one example. . .sexual activity laws, equal marriage laws, social sentiment—all can impact on this community’s travel experiences in both large and small ways.”

Some of the results might surprise you.

West Hollywood, California, a well-known haven for gay and lesbian travelers, ranked an impressive 80 out of 100 points. San Francisco, on the other hand, didn’t fare quite as well, scoring just a 68 out of 100.

Of course, scores are dynamic and can change frequently by the day. Social media chatter, in particular, can drive the respective slider bar up or down as topics trend.

As noted by Mackenzie, visiting the Caribbean can be a mixed bag. Planning a visit to Jamaica? The destination scored an unimpressive 24 out of 100. Bermuda, on the other hand, clocked in at a more appealing 71 out of 100.

How about Canada? Most major Canadian cities (Toronto, Vancouver, Quebec) ranked in the 67-68 range, but Montreal scored slightly higher, with a rank of 71 out of 100.

I'm raising Toronto's Destination Pride Flag https://t.co/K47v6YUEXD #DestinationPride

— Stuart Thursby (@sthursby) July 17, 2017

Thinking about visiting Moscow for the World Cup? Think carefully, as Russia scored just 34 out of 100 points.

READ MORE: Do Anti-Gay Laws Impact Tourism Markets?

According to a site legend, a score of 71 or above “generally indicates that there are extensive legal protections in place for LGBTQ+ people and that social media sentiment is generally positive.”

A score in the 50-70 range, “generally indicates that some legal protections for LGBTQ+ people are in place, and social media sentiment is likely neutral.” A score less than 50, “generally indicates that there are limited or no legal rights in place for LGBTQ+ people, and there may even be penalties. Social media sentiment for that destination will likely be neutral or negative.”

Disagree with a score? The tool allows you to “Start a Conversation” with Facebook comments to include your own experiences in a particular destination. The tool is relatively new, so comments are few and far between, but they should prove to be a further help to LGBT travelers looking for the perfect getaway.

Check out your own vacation hotspot DestinationPride.org.