More same-sex honeymooners visiting places without marriage equality, says tour operator

More same-sex honeymooners are visiting destinations which do not have marriage equality, according to travel company Kuoni.

The firm said it is experiencing a growing trend of newly married LGBT+ couples booking trips to locations which do not approve of same-sex marriages such as the Maldives, Dubai, the Caribbean and East Africa.

The luxury tour operator and travel agent said many people in this category are exploring places “considered less LGBTQ+ friendly” because they do not want “barriers” to influence how they “celebrate their love”.

It reported strong demand for villa accommodation, which could ensure privacy in countries without marriage equality.

Two out of five (44 per cent) respondents to a Kuoni-commissioned survey of 1,013 people, who identify as part of the LGBT+ community, said they prioritise the overall destination experience regardless of attitudes towards people with their sexuality or gender identity.

The company is marking the 10-year anniversary of same-sex weddings being legalised in England and Wales on Monday by launching the Kuoni Promise, which it says is a commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

It noted the popular honeymoon locations such as Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, and Singapore have repealed anti-gay legislation.

Kuoni managing director Mark Duguid said: “With LGBTQ+ travel, the talk can often turn reactive quite quickly – boycotting certain destinations and so on. In reality, the conversation is much more nuanced than that, so we give our customers the information to make educated choices and navigate those issues in a very individual way with our staff.

“And we can have those chats because many of those staff have experienced those destinations themselves. We have always been committed to inclusivity and ensuring that every traveller feels safe, valued and celebrated.”

The survey was conducted by company Mortar Research last month.