Fitur is one of the biggest tourism trade shows in the world and it takes place every year in Madrid. This year was from 25-28 January. And the reason it is so important to us is the FITUR GAY pavilion, in which companies and destinations focused on LGBTQ+ tourism show their services and projects. This was the 9th edition and for the first time there was an area focused lesbians and a program made by and for women.

WorldPride 2019 isn’t until June, but its buzz is already getting loud. The event is headed to New York City this year—and IGLTA will arrive early. In this case, two months early, for our 36th Annual Global Convention, April 24 to 27 at the New York Hilton Midtown.

There are two guaranteed ways to transform people: time and travel. When IGLTA was created back in 1983, the world’s progressive possibilities—especially where LGBTQ+ communities were concerned—seemed limited. Then 36 years passed, and here we are in 2019, enjoying incredible progress, but still battling to overcome obstacles and struggles around the world.

It is such a privilege to explore the world—not to mention inspiring, enlightening, and just plain fun. As LGBTQ+ travelers, the connections we make add light and warmth to our lives.

n New York City, the 2019 forecast is rainbow-tinted. It’s the year the city commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising—the fateful event back in June 1969 that ignited the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. And next year, we’re thrilled to hold our 36th Annual Global Convention in the city where it all began.