This year, Japan Gay Guide was fortunate enough to visit WorldPride Amsterdam 2026. It is always a pleasure to travel. Readers will know, however, that travelling while queer often comes with extra considerations. In Amsterdam, we were invited by Official WorldPride Hospitality Partner Booking.com to learn about its Travel Proud programme for LGBTQ+ tourists.
Booking.com was also generous enough to take us through its media presentation and even let us experience the Canal Parade as its guests. More importantly, Booking.com showed that it is a real ally. Beyond just a rainbow flag on its logo, it has created an inclusive hospitality initiative for LGBTQ+ travellers. We’ll take you through how Booking.com is helping queer tourists have the perfect trip.
Why Inclusive Travel Still Matters
While nobody should be ashamed of who they are, not everyone wants to advertise their sexuality when away from home. This is not because all travel is unsafe for LGBTQ+ people. Many countries, including the Netherlands and Japan, are welcoming to sexual minorities.
However, many may prefer not to be singled out by those they interact with due to their sexuality. In 2026, Booking.com conducted a survey of over 13,000 LGBTQ+ travelers across 19 markets, including Japan. The results showed that the majority preferred to keep their sexuality private. Globally, 31% said that they were open about their sexuality while traveling. In Japan, the figure of those open about their sexuality while traveling was just 9%.
This is proof of the usefulness for inclusive hospitality such as Booking.com’s Travel Proud programme for LGBTQ+ travelers. Being able to travel knowing that you won’t be judged for your sexual orientation would benefit the majority of queer travelers.
How Travel Proud Works
The LGBTQ+ travel market is growing rapidly. In 2021, Booking.com started Travel Proud to help properties offer inclusive hospitality. This would not only boost business, but also make guests more comfortable.
It developed a training program in partnership with HospitableMe, a specialist in inclusive travel. The training itself is free, takes just 90 minutes, and is done entirely online. Once training is completed, the property will be marked online with a Travel Proud badge. This helps the property stand out to LGBTQ+ travelers, who can rest assured that they will be welcomed for who they are.
For queer travelers, searching for properties with the Travel Proud badge on Booking.com helps to find a property where the owners will respect your sexuality. This takes some of the anxiety out of booking a room, apartment or house to stay at in an unfamiliar location.
Inside the WorldPride Media HQ Experience
As Booking.com’s guests, JGG visited the WorldPride Media HQ. Here, as well as being able to meet and mingle with other LGBTQ+ advocates, we got the chance to learn about Travel Proud at Booking.com’s media session. The panel discussion outlined what the training entailed and how it would benefit LGBTQ+ travelers.
The Canal Parade: Visibility on Amsterdam’s Canals
The Canal Parade, held on 1 August this year, has been the highlight of Amsterdam Pride since it first began in 1996. This year it celebrated not only the 30th anniversary of the Parade but also the 25th anniversary of marriage equality in the Netherlands.
This year saw 80 official boats float down the canals of Amsterdam, and we were lucky enough to get a close-up view as they sailed by.
“I was very impressed by the diversity on display at the Canal Parade,” Watanabe said. “At Tokyo Pride of course diversity is represented. But in Amsterdam, in addition to categories like Youth Pride and Trans Pride, there were floats dedicated to Intersex Pride and Refugee Pride. I thought they were more fully represented, and could speak for themselves.”
We met up with Ikuo again at the Canal Parade. He was participating directly in the Canal Parade, throwing popsicles to the float participants as they passed by. He was even recognized by a number of fans of The Boyfriend.
“It makes me so happy to see the whole city coming together to celebrate Pride, regardless of whether people identify as LGBTQ+ or not,” Ikuo said. “I hope to help build up Pride in Japan so that it can eventually grow to this scale, too.”
It was incredible to be around so many of us. Even in an unfamiliar place, seeing things we’d never seen before, we were able to express who we really are. It made us think about how important it is to feel included, even — and perhaps especially — during ‘ordinary’ travel.
What This Means From Japan
As we mentioned above, just 9% of LGBTQ+ travelers feel comfortable being open about their sexuality when traveling. This is not because Japan itself is intolerant or unsafe. Japan’s reputation for safety for visitors and residents is well-deserved. This is also true for LGBTQ+ people.
However, outside of places like Tokyo’s gayborhood, Shinjuku Nichome, LGBTQ+ visibility in Japan is lower than in some other countries, such as the Netherlands. In some ways, this can be attributed to a small-c conservatism when it comes to matters of sexuality in Japan. Japanese people appreciate privacy when it comes to their personal lives. This may be why relatively few of them are open about being LGBTQ+ when traveling.
This goes to show how important it is to find inclusive hospitality when traveling. Being able to discreetly find welcoming places to stay can make the difference between a trip being good and being unforgettable.
Inclusive Travel Is About More Than the Destination
The feeling of belonging is important no matter where you are. Travel Proud is one example of how individuals and organizations can work together to make traveling that little bit easier for queer people — no matter where they’re from or where they’re going.
Our time at WorldPride Amsterdam 2026 was everything any trip abroad should be. Fun, exciting, and moving. We were able to thrive in Amsterdam because we felt so welcome and included. A journey is more than a destination, and a destination is more than just a place. That’s why being welcomed and included can make anywhere feel like home.
