Milan, Italy Chosen as Host City of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association 2020 Conference

The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association has announced that Milan, Italy will be the host city for the conference's 37th Annual Global Convention taking place in 2020. Each year, cities around the globe bid on hosting the conference that attracts those looking to learn more about the ever-evolving LGBTQ travel market. 

"Hosting in Milan the IGLTA tourism convention in 2020 is a reason of pride for me, and I sincerely thank the IGLTA association, CEO John Tanzella, the Board Chair Juan Julià and the IGLTA Italian Ambassador Alessio Virgili,” said the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala. “This victory is not only a recognition of the quality of the tourism offer in Milan—increasingly competitive at an international level—but also and above all, a clear prize to the maturity and the commitment with which the city is fighting for the affirmation of civil rights. This is why we are very pleased to welcome this appointment: in this way, we will be able to contribute even more strength and determination to the growth and cultural change of our society.”

Alessio Virgili, IGLTA’s ambassador in Italy and the CEO of AITGL, also was instrumental in securing the bid for Milan. “When I started doing LGBTQ business in Italy in 2007, I found many obstacles. But with the collaboration of an engaged business community, we helped to change perceptions,” Virgili said. “Today the Italian culture is much more open and in fact, Italy is one of the countries with the most IGLTA members in Europe.”

Hopefully Italy makes the right decision in their upcoming elections, and the country continues to move forward on equality and not backward. 

This year, the conference will take place May 9-12 in Toronto and registration is well underway with the 2019 conference in New York.