Bloggers Share LGBT+ Travel Info for any Occasion
by Rocky Vy | photo courtesy 2 Travel Dads
Click on any person’s profile on a dating app, and you’ll more than likely see “travel” listed as one of their interests or hobbies.
But, c’mon bro, do you even travel?
For these bloggers and influencers, travel is more than just a hobby — it’s their passion, and for most, their jobs.
As ubiquitous as the words “influencers” and “travel” are these days, there are few that actually excel at being a travel influencer. And an even smaller segment identify as part of the LGBTQ community.
Their voices and their experiences are valuable today more than ever. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, the travel and tourism sector contributed around $8.8 million to the global economy, growing by almost 3.9% in 2018. It is also the second-fastest-growing sector in the world, behind only to manufacturing which grew by about 4%.
There is more to see and more to do around the world, and we need help deciding where to go and what to do. Furthermore, we want to know if a place is safe for queer people to travel to. That’s where these LGBTQ travel influencers can help.
According to the activist site 76crimes.com, at the time of this publication, there are 72 countries and territories where homosexuality is illegal. Some travelers have noted that some of these nations are still safe to visit regardless of how you identify, but for others, it may not be so easy.
If you’re looking to travel safely and gather some guidance for your next jet setting adventure, look to these influencers.
MEG CALE
Dopesontheroad.com
New York, New York
Why did you become a travel influencer?
I started our website because I wanted to help queer people travel safely because I believe that everyone should be able to see the beauty and wonders of the world regardless of their identities
What’s the toughest part of being a travel influencer?
For me, it’s always been tough to educate brands on the lesbian community. Unfortunately, there’s still a prevailing stereotype that queer women are poor and unwilling to prioritize travel. These prevailing thoughts are often rooted in deeply held stereotypes about our community that need to be combatted through a process of reteaching.
How do you plan on growing your business this coming year?
“This year we’re expanding our group trip options for queer women. We’re super excited to be able to offer more adventures and more opportunities for connection and community building to queer women. We’re also rebranding and launching a shiny new website this fall so stay tuned.”
IVAN QUINTANILLA
TravelingIQ.com
New York, New York
Describe the moment you realized you wanted to be a Travel Influencer.
I was at a perfectly reasonable office job about to staple my eyelids shut just so I can feel something… And knew I had to make a change.
I’d always been passionate about travel and knew I wanted to reincorporate it in my life so I took a writing class, started a blog and started with a goal of posting something once a week. I also decided that for my first year I would just say “yes” to any travel opportunity and see where it led me… that was 9 years ago.
What’s your next destination? I hope to be going on my first “gay” cruise this summer. And it will be the launch of a new LGBTQ travel company which is building its mission around inclusivity of our entire community and allies. I love that! I’m a big tent kinda guy.
What are the three things you always bring with you on every trip?
A portable tripod, some cash in the currency of the country and an open mind.
What’s your one tip for someone who wants to travel more often?
You can make it happen. Travel can take many forms and you can make it work for you. Pick an attainable travel goal and work toward it… even if it means putting $20 aside every week. In one year you’ll have over $1,000 toward your trip.
What’s the most challenging part of the job?
Staying focused on the uniqueness of each destination. Sometimes you are on a trip, finishing an article about a previous trip while composing an Instagram post about the place you visited three trips ago. Experiences can sometimes blend into each other. But I owe it to each place to represent it fully.
ROB TAYLOR
2 Travel Dads
Seattle, Washington
Describe the moment you realized you wanted to be a Travel Influencer.
I had officially quit my HR job to be a stay-at-home-dad and after several months I really needed an outlet for my creative energy and our family has always been big on travel. After searching to see if anybody like us was blogging about travel and finding nobody writing about LGBT family travel, I started 2TravelDads
What is your next destination?
Jacksonville, FL – I’ll be speaking at a conference and well, FLORIDA. We love the northern Florida coast for its beaches, freshwater springs and exploring St Augustine (oldest city in the USA)
What are the three things you always bring with you to every trip?
Laptop that also works as a tablet; DSLR or underwater camera (or both); reusable everything (water bottle, laundry bag, toiletries…)
What’s your one tip for someone who wants to travel more often?
Travel brand loyalty is a gateway to more frequent traveling. As you accrue (the right type of) points/miles it makes travel less expensive, as you build status with your frequent travel brands the perks and ease of using their services increase.
And then you become invested in reading the promotional emails they send you and you start planning your next trip and since you’re already saving and earning points it’s easier to justify and make happen.
What’s the most challenging part of the job?
The biggest challenge with working as a travel blogger is NOT working.
Everywhere we go there is an opportunity to capture or create content, and truthfully, it makes it difficult to travel solely for fun and relaxation. It’s difficult to turn off the travel blogger/influencer side of my brain.
MIKAH MEYER
www.MikahMeyer.com
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Describe the moment you realized you wanted to be a Travel Influencer.
I grew up in Nebraska watching a lot of the Travel Channel. It was my escape to worlds/people I could not afford to visit or meet. When I realized I could provide that, particularly an openly gay role model, for others feeling trapped, it spurred my passion.
What’s your next destination?
Following the Nebraska Husker college football team to every game this upcoming season, to showcase how gay men like football like everyone else, despite stereotypes that assume otherwise.
What are the three things you always bring with you to every trip?
My Nalgene water bottle. A portable USB power source. Sunscreen!
What’s your one tip for someone who wants to travel more often?
Don’t be the person who just talks about what they want to do, be the person who finds a way to make it happen.
What’s the most challenging part of the job?
Convincing people it’s a job. When everyone only sees the pretty tip of the iceberg, they don’t believe all the work it takes to make it look like a vacation.
BAILEY MILLS
The Gay Globetrotter
Vancouver, Canada
Describe the moment you realized you wanted to become a Travel Influencer. I wanted to earn a living showing the LGBTQ community how they can travel the world and how important it is to make time for it.
What is your next destination?
My next destination is New York City for World Pride. It’s important to be there because this is the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which shaped the modern-day LGBTQ movement. This celebration will show everyone
how humanity has evolved in the last 50 years from where we were the day that first brick was thrown, to where we are today.
What are the three things you always bring with you to every trip?
This is a great question! My most important travel accessories are headphones, a money belt or fanny pack and my Google maps. I always pick up a SIM card when I am gone for over a week so I have data wherever I am visiting!
What’s your one tip for someone who wants to travel more often?
Do it. Don’t take a week off of work to relax. My travels first started when I wanted to take a week off and book an all-inclusive resort in Cancun for a week. I learned Thailand was cheaper and just as fun, so I booked the trip solo. A month later, I never wanted to look back.
What’s the most challenging part of the job?
I think it is being in the public eye. I don’t really get to experience a vacation anymore, no matter where I go or what I do, I think about making content around it.
