IGLTA Foundation Hosts Second Annual LGBTQ+ Travel Symposium in India

The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association Foundation recently held its second annual LGBTQ+ Travel Symposium in New Delhi which focused on expanding LGBTQ+ tourism in India. The LaLiT New Delhi graciously hosted the symposium for the second consecutive year, providing a welcoming environment for the free event.

Further amplifying their commitment to fostering LGBTQ+ tourism in India, The IGLTA Foundation proudly welcomed Nakshatra Bagwe (he/him) as the 2024 India Symposium Fellowship recipient. Bagwe is an award-winning filmmaker and founder of The BackPack Travels. His dedication to creating safe and inclusive travel experiences for the LGBTQ+ community embodies the spirit of this fellowship. Other notable speakers included: Aditya Ghosh (he/him), Co-Founder of Akasa Airlines; Akriti Malhotra (she/her), CEO/Co-Founder of AKU’s - The Burger Co.; Keshav Suri (he/him), Executive Director of The LaLit Suri Hospitality Group; Ribu Choudary (she/her), Head of Communications and Brand at Amadeus; and Emmanuel Lebrun-Damiens (he/him), Cultural Cooperation and Action Advisor for the Embassy of France in India. The symposium closed with a special performance from singer/drag artist/activist Shushant Divgikar aka Rani KoHEnur (she/he/they).

"We are so excited to be back in New Delhi for our second India LGBTQ+ Travel Symposium, and incredibly grateful to The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group for hosting this momentous event,” said John Tanzella (he/him), IGLTA President/CEO. “This year, we’ll take a deeper dive, offering an interactive workshop alongside the main stage programming so that participants are able to ask questions in a safe space and receive more practical takeaways to help advance LGBTQ+ travel in India.” 

“We are proud to partner for The IGLTA Foundation's second annual LGBTQ+ Travel Symposium, reaffirming our commitment to inclusivity in India's tourism,” said Keshav Suri (he/him), Executive Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group. “With esteemed speakers and dedicated partners, this symposium marks a transformative step in advancing LGBTQ+ travel, promoting love and acceptance in every journey.”

The IGLTA Foundation actively supports LGBTQ+ tourism in emerging destinations, with developing LGBTQ+ travel to and from India being one of its key initiatives. The symposium also highlighted the commendable work of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, which recently received IGLTA Accredited™ status for each of its India properties.

For more insights into the symposium and the future of LGBTQ+ travel in India, be sure to read John Tanzella’s latest blog post, available here.