IGLTA Selects Osaka as Its 2024 Global Convention Destination
The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association will take its premier event, the 2024 Global Convention, to Asia for the first time.
The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) announced that it has selected Osaka, Japan as the destination for its 2024 Global Convention. This will be IGLTA’s first-ever Global Convention in Asia. The IGLTA is proud to partner with the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (OCTB) to make this historic event possible.
“After a very detailed evaluation process, we are proud to recognize 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,” said IGLTA Board Chair Felipe Cardenas. “This is truly a historic moment as Osaka becomes the first-ever IGLTA Global Convention host city in Asia–a reflection of our deep commitment to bringing a more fair and inclusive travel industry to every corner of the globe.”
Home to the second-largest LGBTQ+ scene outside of Tokyo, Osaka is known for its welcoming locals and decadent food culture. 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 led Japan in encouraging businesses and organizations to incorporate and implement protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. In 2019, Osaka launched the LGBT Leading Company initiative, evaluating organizations 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.
“We truly thank you for selecting Osaka as the host of the 2024 IGLTA Global Convention. Osaka actively works to develop into a city even more welcoming of all travelers, and we were the first destination in Japan to develop strategies specifically in LGBTQ+ tourism,” said Hiroshi Mizohata, President of Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau. “Osaka has a long history of being the gathering place for people, ideas, and goods from across Japan, making it well-suited to be labeled a diverse destination.”
Osaka is undergoing rapid development to receive a massive influx of visitors for Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai, Japan. The theme of Expo 2025 is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” a philosophy that is deeply shared with IGLTA’s mission.
For more information on welcoming Osaka: www.visitgayosaka.com, and for more information about the IGLTA and its annual convention, visit https://www.iglta.org and https://www.igltaconvention.org.
