Connecting LGBTQ+ Travelers to the Heart of Puerto Rico’s Hospitality
Credit: Discover Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is celebrated for its diverse landscape—you can catch some rays on one of its stunning beaches, hike to a waterfall in a lush tropical forest, and kayak through a bioluminescent bay. But it’s also culturally rich and diverse, blending people of African, Spanish, and Taino cultures. The diversity led to a vibrant atmosphere with music, dancing, food, and art. Because of this natural diversity, Discover Puerto Rico, the island’s destination marketing organization, felt that Puerto Rico offered a product that would appeal to LGBTQ+ visitors. Discover Puerto Rico set out to research and learn about the possibilities of attracting more LGBTQ+ visitors—and how to make them feel safe and welcome on the island. It looks like their efforts are paying off. In 2019, a Strategic Marketing and Research survey showed that 19% of LGBTQ+ travelers felt the island was friendly. By the following year, that number jumped to 41%.
Discover Puerto Rico recognized that the island’s culture and local LGBTQ+ community provided a strong starting point, but they wanted to do more. Discover Puerto Rico joined forces with HospitableMe, a hospitality agency focused on inclusivity. Together they identified a strategy to help Puerto Rico become even more inclusive and welcoming:
Engage and support the local LGBTQ + community.
Train and empower hotels, restaurants, and attractions to be more inclusive and welcoming both on a one-to-one, customer service basis, and in operation-wide policies.
Create community-focused content
Discover Puerto Rico provides education and training to partners. Leah Chandler, Chief Marketing Officer of Discover Puerto Rico, says, “Education is so important. It’s the number one thing the local community asks of us. It improves the operating excellence of our partners, it improves the visitor experience, and it helps make the Island more understanding and welcoming to our local LGBTQ+ community.” The programs, developed by HospitableMe, help educate local partners on the needs of the LGBTQ+ community and help those partners have welcoming and inclusive interactions with visitors.
Credit: Discover Puerto Rico
Discover Puerto Rico also partners with the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) Foundation, the Atlanta Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and Hyatt Hotels for Pathway to Employment. The initiative hopes to provide connections, education, and resources to link trans and non-binary people to hospitality jobs. Chandler says, “We know that the gender diverse community faces additional challenges in finding employment. And we know that the hospitality industry needs to expand its talent pipeline. The program will help the industry create safer and more welcoming workplaces for trans and non-binary employees and help trans and non-binary Puerto Ricans find those workplaces and employers.” She indicated they hope to share a blueprint for other destinations to replicate the program next year.
Since safety is of particular concern to LGBTQ+ travelers, Discover Puerto Rico wanted to identify and communicate inclusive and welcoming locations. Discover Puerto Rico dedicated a section of its website to highlight hotels, nightlife, and attractions that promise non-discriminatory service. And because they knew travelers often look for first-hand recommendations from people they trust, they invited LGBTQ+ media and social media influencers to Puerto Rico to experience it themselves.
Credit: Discover Puerto Rico
Authenticity is a crucial component of Discover Puerto Rico’s goals. The Live Out marketing campaign employed LGBTQ+ talent in front of and behind the camera. They launched LGBTQ+ roundtables to ensure the organization is aligned with the local community’s concerns. They also worked with the LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce to source diverse suppliers for the IGTLA Global Convention coming to Puerto Rico in 2023.
Chandler says, “It’s important to remember that LGBTQ+ isn’t just a niche — it’s a community and perspective that’s visible in everything we do — not just in an LGBTQ+ campaign. When you look at research about millennials and GenZ, 52% identify as something other than straight. Younger generations have a very different perspective on gender and sexuality, and those who identify outside of traditional labels and roles are the majority. Understanding that has been an important factor in our success and our path to becoming a truly welcoming and inclusive destination.”
Note: Throughout this series, we will follow the AP Style Book and use the term people of color when referring to people of any race other than non-Hispanic white. We sincerely apologize in advance if this choice creates discomfort, and we welcome any reader to contact us and continue the discussion.
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