IGLTA Receives Excelencias Award for its LGBT Tourism Work

The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association received a 2103 Excelencias Award today during FITUR, the international tourism trade fair held annually in Madrid. IGLTA was honored for “its tireless work to normalize LGBT tourism in the world.”
 
The awards began in 2005 to celebrate excellence in tourism with a particular focus on the Caribbean and the Americas. Recipients are selected by a seven-member global jury from the tourism, arts and gastronomy sectors that is chaired by the president of the Excelencias Group. This Latin American communications group (www.excelencias.com) has offices in Europe, Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America.
 
“We are very proud to receive this award in Madrid, the host city for our 2014 Annual Global Convention,” said IGLTA President/CEO John Tanzella, who accepted the honor on behalf of the association’s global membership. “It’s been an incredible journey from our founding by a small group of members in Florida 30 years ago to receiving this honor from a mainstream media group in Spain.”

IGLTA is the leading member-based global organization dedicated to LGBT tourism and a proud Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. In 2013, the association signed on to ECPAT’s Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct to prevent child exploitation. The association’s membership includes LGBT and LGBT-friendly accommodations, destinations, service providers, travel agents, tour operators, events and travel media in more than 75 countries.