LGBTIQ + identities in tourism and leisure research: a systematic qualitative literature review

Abstract

Tourism research on the LGBTIQ + communities has grown over the years, entering mainstream discussions as a segment of interest. This growing focus reflects greater societal acceptance and acknowledgement of the systemic inequalities that challenge their rights. The landscape of current scholarship, though important to academic literature, policy and practice, has not been explored. On this premise, and under the umbrella of social sustainability, a systematic qualitative review of scholarship on the LGBTIQ + community and tourism was conducted with Q1- and Q2-ranked travel and tourism journals (Scimago Journal & Country Rank) as a basis. Articles were analysed to identify the sampling parameters and their topic foci. The findings suggest the literature focuses on sexually diverse groups (gays and lesbians) who are open about their identity, with limited consideration given to bisexual or gender diverse travellers (intersex and transgender). The topics and language used have also evolved in recent years, transforming from earlier fixations on the sexual, to the exploration of other experiences related to the LGBTIQ + communities. This research reflects on this evolution, the implications for the broader queer communities, and proposes a research agenda for more robust inquiry concerning LGBTIQ + travel and leisure.

Keywords:

• LGBTIQ+
• tourism
• queer
• inclusivity
• leisure
• social sustainability

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Faith Ong

Faith Ong is a Lecturer in Tourism at The University of Queensland's Business School. Her research interests lie in the role of tourism, hospitality and events as tools of social change. In particular, she focuses on inclusivity for marginalised communities in events and tourism. She has published in the areas of volunteer tourism, volunteerism, critical events, leadership and sustainability. Faith is currently undertaking research on inclusivity at events relating to marginalised communities, exploring the signals of inclusion and exclusion at occasions that are meant to bring communities together.

Oscar Vorobjovas-Pinta

Dr Oscar Vorobjovas-Pinta is a leading expert on LGBTQI + communities in the context of leisure, hospitality and tourism. His research interests are the sociology of tourism, tourist behaviour, and LGBTQI + tourism. Dr Vorobjovas-Pinta explores LGBTQI + travellers as neo-tribes, who come together from disparate walks of life but are united through shared sentiment, rituals and symbols. He has a broad interest and industry experience in innovative tourism research, and is involved in a number of projects focusing on resilience, and on technology-enabled advanced tracking of visitors. These projects have each been built on extensive stakeholder and industry engagement.

Clifford Lewis

Clifford Lewis is a Lecturer in Marketing at Charles Sturt University. His research currently focuses on inclusivity within a rural context – specifically considering the LGBTQI + community. Aligning with his belief that academic research should contribute to the betterment of society, he is passionate about using research to develop interventions for social problems. Before beginning his academic career, he was the Head of State (NSW) for a global market research company. In that role, he led a team of researchers on projects that informed policy and practice across Australia. He holds a PhD in Marketing, focusing on Destination Branding.