NEWS SPECIAL REPORT


ide in gay tourism


of tourist board NYC & Company, predicted LGBTQ+ visitor numbers to the city would swell to seven million in 2019. And he urged the UK travel trade to take


advantage of a year-long programme of events. “We share our best practices with


destinations across the world and take a position of leadership,” said Dixon. “We share a powerful message that shows


not just the inclusivity but the economic impact that LGBTQ+ visitors have here. And when New York speaks, the world listens.”


Branson: Embrace diversity S


ir Richard Branson urged all travel companies to embrace diversity within their workforces. Te Virgin founder defended companies


which make money out of the gay community, as


long as they “genuinely embrace it”. “It’s critical that people who run companies embrace


minority groups and women, who have been treated like a minority group, and try to move their companies towards equality,” he said at a press conference in New York. “Embrace ethnicity and make sure workforces have


got at least the right percentage of people from different countries. Embrace the gay community and treat all these groups as you would your brothers, sisters and children.” Asked about firms chasing the ‘pink pound’, Branson


travelweekly.co.uk 4 JULY 2019


said: “It’s got to come from the heart. If companies then end up making money out of the gay community, having genuinely embraced it, that’s fine.” He called for patience with companies that are doing


the right thing by embracing a diverse workforce. “If a company comes out and supports the gay


community, and initially one feels at heart they haven’t embraced it as much as they should, at least they’ve started the process,” he said. “People who work for those companies will then force them to be real. “Every year, things are moving in the right direction in


America and Europe, but certainly not in other countries.” Buoyed by the success of Virgin Atlantic’s first Pride Flight, Branson vowed it would become an annual fixture.


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PICTURES: Virgin Atlantic; Shutterstock


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