The new ranking of Asher & Lyric is based on laws and regulations with regard to LGBT+ people in the countries, and on the social attitude towards this group. For LGBT+ travellers, it is always wise, especially when traveling far, to keep the legislation of your destination into account for safety purposes. Today, homosexuality is still illegal in many countries, sometimes even punishable with death. Also in countries with less extreme laws, care is needed for LGBT people. “These issues can affect everything, from your ability to show public displays of affection to being able to share a hotel room bed to the capacity at which you can use dating apps without being caught by the local police,” says the website.
Norway leads the list, just above Portugal and Belgium. All three countries receive an "A" from the website. The most unsafe destination on the list of the 150 most popular holiday countries is Nigeria. In this country, homosexuality can lead to a prison sentence of 14 years or even the death penalty. Even the discussion about LGBT+ rights is forbidden. Qatar, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Tanzania are also among the most unsafe countries
Ireland is placed fifteenth, just behind South Africa, due to the lack of a specific law concerning the explicit prohibition of hate crimes. Ireland also has no protection for workers regarding their gender identity. Furthermore, it stands out that European countries in particular are the safest for LGBT + travellers. Canada and New Zealand are the only non-European countries in the top 10.