Homosexuals are going places: Founder of Indjapink

All it needs is a little less orthodoxy for homosexual travel to take off in India, says Sanjay Malhotra, founder of Indjapink.

At the recently concluded South Asia Travel and Tour Expo (SATTE) in New Delhi, travel experts claimed that India can be the next big travel destination for the homosexual community. But what are the troubles gay travellers still face in India?
The travel industry, from the hotel staff to the cab driver, needs to be more sensitive to the requirements of the gay community.

There have been many instances even in big cities like Delhi that a gay couple has been given a room, but refused a double bed and given two single beds. They have been frowned upon when holding hands during dinner. Why should someone who is gay have to act straight to enjoy travelling in India?

What are the difficulties you experienced when setting up Indjapink?
Two and a half years ago, when I approached hotels big and small, many told me they don’t entertain gay travellers. Worldwide, the gay community is known to be one of the biggest spenders and buyers of lifestyle products. They are also big connoisseurs of art and architecture, and India has those in plenty.

How do your trips differ from that of regular travel plans?
We ensure that the hotel staff, transport organisers, guides and cab drivers are gay-friendly. The gay community is known to like spa treatments, for instance. We take all that into account in our plans. We also organise meet-ups with the local gay community.

Where does India stand in the global map for the homosexual traveller?
Argentina, South Africa, Spain, London and Argentina are popular gay travel destinations. Thailand and Singapore are popular destinations in Asia. These countries are popular because apart from being beautiful, they are also gay-friendly. Nepal has been promoting itself as a gay travel destination. They also permitted a gay wedding recently. But India, with its diverse travel destinations, can become the next big destination for the community. All we need to do is shed our orthodoxy and become more accepting. After homosexuality was decriminalised here, the word that India is gay-friendly is spreading quickly.

Where do most homosexual travellers come from and which are the most popular regions in India?
Most gay travellers coming to India are from the US, UK, Canada and Australia. They prefer visiting Rajasthan, Kerala and Varanasi.

What are your future plans?
We are planning to start a travel plan for lesbians by the year-end, and are thinking of including lesbian guides, etc. We will also need to find places that will be open enough.