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Lonely Planet, the world鈥檚 most beloved and trusted travel guide publisher, has released the new LGBTQ+ Travel Guide by Lonely Planet. This truly iconic rainbow guide includes more than fifty queer-friendly destinations handpicked by community, brimming with insider knowledge and unexpected queer gems.

The LGBTQ+ travel boom

Over the last 10 years, the LGBTQIA+ travel market has become more relevant than ever – when travel was at its peak before the pandemic, travel spending from queer people reached US$218 billion worldwide. By 2030, experts predict that travel spending by queer travellers could reach US$568.5 billion.

In response, Lonely Planet聽has launched its own definitive guide for queer travellers; those who are searching for destinations that feel welcoming and authentic.听

With queer locals around the world offering their own insights, the LGBTQ+ Travel Guide serves as a global queer concierge鈥攃onnecting readers to places where the community flourishes not only during Pride but throughout the year.

Author Alicia Valenski says guide was by community, for community

Star Observer spoke to author Alicia Valenski 鈥� a queer and neurodivergent travel writer based in Amsterdam, who has been named as a Travel Trailblazer in Attitude Magazine’s 101 Trailblazers for 2025. We asked her about聽the process behind the book, her own travel tips, as well as the future of queer travel.听

When identifying queer-friendly travel destinations, Valenski said that the process relied heavily on the trust she had in the local collaborators.听聽

鈥淒id a queer person who actually lives in this destination just tell me that they feel safe in this space? When I pressed them, asking whether they thought the space would be welcoming for others in the LGBTQ+ community 鈥斅燼s well as those with overlapping intersectionalities like the queer BIPOC community, disabled LGBTQ+ travelers, and more 鈥斅燿id they hesitate or walk back their recommendation?鈥�

Valenski was also able to re-evaluate her own recommendations as countries around the world undergo social change, specifically mentioning Thailand, who recently legalised same sex marriage.听

The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide by Lonely Planet features LGBTQ+ contributors including RuPaul鈥檚 Drag Race鈥檚 Pangina Heals

Pan Pan Narkprasert, better known as the incredible Pangina Heals of RuPaul鈥檚 Drag Race fame, gave Valenski the insider knowledge for Bangkok.听

Heals shared with Valenski that Thailand鈥檚 laws hadn鈥檛 matched the realities of the country for a while now, particularly when it comes to the LGBTQIA+ community.

鈥淔or such a long time it felt like, when is this going to happen? Is it even going to happen in our lifetime? And it鈥檚 a human right!鈥� said Heals. 鈥淪o I feel like now that it鈥檚 finally happening, we鈥檙e just so elated.鈥�

The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide is a love letter to the global LGBTQ+ community

Valenski says that as more and more countries pass legislation protecting LGBTQIA+ rights, more members of the community are feeling comfortable to explore places they hadn鈥檛 considered before.

鈥淚t’s more important than ever for there to be a book that authentically represents the global LGBTQ+ community, by the LGBTQ+ community,鈥� she said.听

鈥淪traight authors just don鈥檛 have first-hand experience with the challenges and complexities of LGBTQ+ travel, which results in a lack of nuance and depth in the recommendations and advice they provide,鈥� Valenski 肠辞苍迟颈苍耻别诲.听

鈥淨ueer travellers deserve a book that offers an intimate sense of place and belonging for them鈥攏ot just explaining 鈥榟ere鈥檚 where you can go鈥�, but 鈥榟ere鈥檚 what it feels like to be us in a place that looks so vastly different from home鈥�.鈥�

Ultimately, The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide by Lonely Planet became more than just a travel guide, and turned into a sort of love letter to the queer community.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 quite realize it when I began this project, but chronicling the lived experiences of dozens of queer people around the world in this specific moment in time ended up transforming this book into a resource that goes well beyond just a 鈥榯ravel guide鈥�,鈥� Valesnski said.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 now almost like a time capsule, an anthropologic encapsulation of what life was like in destinations across the globe for a diverse selection of LGBTQ+ community members across identities.鈥�

The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide by Lonely Planet .听

Lonely Planet is launching their new LGBTQ+ Travel Guide with an unmissable event at Dymocks in Sydney, with an appearance from iconic queen Pangina Heals!听

Known as the 鈥楻uPaul Of Thailand鈥�, Pangina Heals is a half-Thai, half-Taiwanese drag performer who is arguably Asia鈥檚 most famous queens 鈥� and one of the contributors to the new LGBTQ+ Travel Guide by Lonely Planet. So you have the opportunity to meet this beloved global superstar, grab a signed copy, and celebrate the release of The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide by Lonely Planet in style 馃寛

You can on February 28, 12pm.