What Queer Destinations does

Queer Destinations, founded in 2019 by Oriol Pàmies and headquartered in Madrid, is a privately held LGBTQ+ tourism company operating a closed-loop ecosystem that combines certification, training, and travel booking. Its core asset is the "Queer Destinations Committed" (QDC) distinction, an internationally IGLTA-recognized certification requiring 100% of staff to complete the proprietary "Hospitality Meets Diversity" e-learning program (6 modules, 50 lessons, ~180 minutes of content, available in 8 languages). The company serves two interlocking customer bases: B2B tourism businesses and government destination-marketing organizations (DMOs) that pay for certification, training, and ongoing annual audits; and B2C LGBTQ+ travelers who discover and book vetted accommodations and experiences through the QDC directory (qdc.queerdestinations.com), the travel booking platform (travel.queerdestinations.com), and curated "Queer Destinations Experiences" packages such as the Shakira Madrid residency bundle launching Autumn 2026.

The company monetizes through professional services (enterprise training and certification programs), licensing-style annual audit fees for the QDC distinction, and transaction fees on its booking platform. Distribution combines direct enterprise field sales (Business Development executives covering Spain, Mexico, and now the DACH region via a Germany-based joint venture with Diversity Tourism GmbH announced October 2025), partnerships with major travel-technology platforms (HBX Group LOI, September 2025, covering Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, and Roiback), IGLTA affiliation, and government co-development (España LGTBI project under Next Generation EU funding, launched in 2025). The company reports presence in 15+ countries across Europe, Latin America, and the United States, with over 200,000 professionals sensitized through its training program. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the company has no external funding rounds on record, though it carries marquee enterprise logos including Hyatt Inclusive Collection, Meliá Hotels International, Palladium Hotel Group, Primavera Sound, Guggenheim Bilbao, UDON, Mexico Travel Group (Gray Line), and the Mexico City Tourism Secretariat.

Name

Queer Destinations

Legal name

Queer Destinations

Website

https://queerdestinations.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Queer Destinations is a Madrid-headquartered LGBTQ+ tourism company that certifies hotels, destinations, and tourism businesses through its "Queer Destinations Committed" distinction, trains staff via its "Hospitality Meets Diversity" program, and books verified travel through its directory and booking platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LGBTQ+ Tourism Certification and Inclusive Travel Services

NAICS

Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (56159), Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (5615)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

LGBTQ+ Travel Agencies (THAKAFAF)

Keywords

• LGBTQ+ tourism certification
• Inclusive hospitality training
• Queer travel booking
• Diversity destination distinction
• Conscious travel platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Catarina

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Training and Certification Services: Companies and destinations pay for the 'Hospitality Meets Diversity' training program and certification process to obtain the Queer Destinations Committed distinction. Training requires 100% of employees to complete the program.
2. Queer Destinations Committed Distinction Licensing: Ongoing distinction that requires annual audits and protocol reviews. Entities maintain distinction through continuous improvement and feedback processes.
3. Queer Destinations Experiences (Travel Booking): The company operates a travel booking platform (travel.queerdestinations.com) offering verified LGBTQ+-welcoming hotels and curated travel packages, including the Shakira Madrid residency experience.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Queer Destinations certifies tourism businesses, hotels, restaurants, festivals, and destinations through the "Queer Destinations Committed" distinction, requiring 100% staff completion of its "Hospitality Meets Diversity" e-learning program. It monetizes this B2B certification and training pipeline alongside a consumer travel booking platform (travel.queerdestinations.com) and curated Experiences packages that connect LGBTQ+ travelers with the certified network.

Product overview

Queer Destinations operates as a closed-loop ecosystem for LGBTQ+ inclusive tourism. The core platform, QueerDestinations.com, connects travelers with the Queer Destinations Committed certification program—a rigorous standard requiring 100% staff training through the Hospitality Meets Diversity e-learning program (6 modules, 50 lessons, 8 languages). The ecosystem includes the Queer Destinations Committed Directory for discovering certified partners, a Travel Booking Platform for direct reservations, and Queer Destinations Experiences for curated event packages. The recently launched Spain LGBTI Travel Experiences Guide (webapp) provides geolocated recommendations for LGBTQ+-committed businesses in Spain, developed under the Programa Experiencias Turismo España with Next Generation EU funding. Every booking within this ecosystem reinforces local queer communities and generates compounding impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Queer Destinations Committed: The certification/distinction program for destinations and companies committed to LGBTQ+ inclusion and safety.
• Hospitality Meets Diversity

Products and services

• Queer Destinations Committed Certification program that verifies tourism businesses, hotels, restaurants, destinations, museums, festivals, and transport operators as LGBTQ+ welcoming, requiring 100% staff completion of the Hospitality Meets Diversity training, non-discrimination policies, zero-tolerance commitments, and ongoing annual audits and protocol reviews.
• Hospitality Meets Diversity E-learning training program with 6 modules and 50 lessons (approximately 180 minutes of content) covering LGBTQ+ community awareness, consumption habits, and best practices for welcoming queer travelers, available in 8 languages. Required for 100% of staff at companies pursuing the Queer Destinations Committed distinction.
• Queer Destinations Committed Directory Searchable directory of certified Queer Destinations Committed properties, accommodations, and destinations, allowing travelers to identify verified LGBTQ+-inclusive hotels, restaurants, and experiences worldwide.
• Travel Booking Platform Travel booking platform enabling users to book LGBTQ+-trained and welcoming hotels, accommodations, and verified stays worldwide, with bookings routed through certified partners to support local queer communities.
• Queer Destinations Experiences Curated travel experiences combining event tickets with verified LGBTQ+-welcoming hotels. First Experience product is the Shakira Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Madrid residency package (Autumn 2026), bundling GA ticket plus hotel in one plan.
• Spain LGBTI Travel Experiences Guide Geolocated webapp connecting travelers with LGBTQ+-committed businesses and destinations in Spain, recommending accommodations, restaurants, cultural spaces, and experiences verified for inclusion and safety. Developed under the Programa Experiencias Turismo España with Next Generation EU funding.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000+ professionals sensitized through LGBTQ+ training programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ITB Berlin (LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 March 2026Queer Destinations featured as new exhibitor at ITB Berlin 2026 LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion. Presented Spain LGBTI Travel Experiences Guide at ITB Diversity Gala. Pavilion includes Booking.com, Grindr, Turespaña, and other LGBTQ+ tourism leaders.
• Club of CoursecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026Letter of Intent signed to promote diversity in tourism. Europe's largest multisector tourism club joins with Queer Destinations to advance inclusive tourism.
• Diversity Tourism GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2025Queer Destinations announces opening of first joint venture based in Germany with Diversity Tourism GmbH. Expansion into DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) for LGBTQ+ tourism certification and training services.
• HBX GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2025Letter of Intent to collaborate in driving inclusive and sustainable tourism worldwide. HBX Group will implement Queer Destinations Committed standards across corporation and train employees. QD will work with HBX Group partners, integrate inclusive booking tools, and boost visibility of committed businesses. Joint communication strategy planned.
• BiospherecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2024Strategic alliance to achieve sustainable and inclusive tourism. Both entities help facilitate adoption of business practices respecting both environment and human diversity. Aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals. Companies can obtain both Biosphere certification and Queer Destinations Committed distinction through this partnership.
• IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQueer Destinations is an affiliate member of IGLTA. The Queer Destinations Committed distinction is internationally recognized by IGLTA.
• Axel HotelscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal hotel chain focused on LGBTQ+ tourism. Founder Juan P. Juliá Blanch is partner at Queer Destinations and former IGLTA Board President (2016-2019). Axel Hotels part of España LGTBI project.
• Melià Hotels InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor international hotel chain forming 700+ professionals in inclusive hospitality. Partner in España LGBTI Travel Experiences Guide project. Will train staff using Hospitality Meets Diversity program.
• ACOGAT (Asociación de Comercios Gays de Torremolinos)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLGBTQ+ business association in Torremolinos. Co-collaborator in España LGBTI project promoting diverse tourism in Spain.
• ShangayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLGBTQ+ media/entertainment platform. Co-collaborator in España LGBTI project.
• Respira ComunicaciónminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunication agency. Co-collaborator in España LGBTI project.
• Agència Catalana de TurismecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCatalan Tourism Agency. Partner in España LGBTI guide launch in Barcelona. Promotes diverse tourism in Catalonia.
• BasquetourminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBasque Tourism. Co-collaborator in España LGBTI project.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Airbnb: Global accommodation marketplace with established host-review signals for LGBTQ+ friendliness. Competes with the Queer Destinations booking platform on supply breadth and consumer brand, though without a dedicated certification standard.
• Booking.com: Largest global OTA. Co-exhibits with Queer Destinations at the ITB Berlin LGBTQ+ Tourism Pavilion and runs a Pride travel collection; competes on booking-side discovery at vastly greater scale.

Direct peers

• misterb&b: LGBTQ+-focused accommodation booking platform with a verified-host network. Overlaps with Queer Destinations on LGBTQ+ traveler booking, curated stays, and inclusive-stay verification.
• Axel Hotels: Global hotel chain explicitly positioned for the LGBTQ+ market, founded by Queer Destinations partner Juan P. Julià Blanch. Comparable as an LGBTQ+-specialist hospitality brand and a QDC-certified enterprise customer.
• Diversity Tourism GmbH: German LGBTQ+ tourism specialist and Queer Destinations' joint-venture partner for the DACH region. Operates the same certification-and-travel-services model in German-speaking markets, making it the closest functional peer.
• IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association): The global industry association for LGBTQ+ travel. Queer Destinations is an IGLTA affiliate and its Committed distinction is IGLTA-recognized, making IGLTA both a partner and the most directly comparable certification/standards body in the space.

Emerging players

• Olivia Travel: LGBTQ+ (primarily lesbian) group travel operator. Comparable as a niche LGBTQ+ travel brand offering curated experiences to a defined community, similar to Queer Destinations' Experiences product line.
• VACAYA: LGBTQ+ travel company specializing in chartered cruises and resort takeovers. Comparable in targeting affluent LGBTQ+ travelers with curated, community-vetted experiences, though narrower in product scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/QueerDestinations
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/queerdestinations
• Instagraminstagram.com/queerdestinations
• TikToktiktok.com/@queerdestinations
• Xx.com/queerdest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Queer Destinations