The IGLTA has chosen Osaka for its 2024 event. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/siam anik/EyeEm
The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) has partnered
with Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (OCTB) for its first-ever
Global Convention in Asia.
A city known for its welcoming locals and decadent food culture,
Osaka has the second-largest LGBTQ+ community outside of Tokyo. IGLTA
said it carried out a detailed evaluation process before opting for
Osaka.
IGLTA board chair Felipe Cardenas said: “We are proud to recognise
Osaka’s impressive bid and the leadership they have shown as an advocate
for LGBTQ+ inclusion in Japan. Their commitment toward more
discrimination-free spaces and travel experiences is remarkable.”
Osaka Prefecture was the first regional-level government to implement
a same-sex partnership system, for which over 500 couples have
registered as of January 2023. Osaka city has also been instrumental in
encouraging businesses and organisations in Japan to incorporate and
implement protections for LGBTQ+ individuals.
In 2019, Osaka launched the LGBT Leading Company initiative,
evaluating organisations on their actions, both as service providers and
as employers, to ensure that all individuals can enjoy the same
benefits regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Hiroshi Mizohata, president at Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau
said: “Osaka actively works to develop into a city even more welcoming
of all travellers, and we were the first destination in Japan to develop
strategies specifically in LGBTQ+ tourism. Osaka has a long history of
being the gathering place for people, ideas, and goods from across
Japan, making it well-suited to be labelled a diverse destination.”