Belgium has been ranked among the most LGBTQIA+-friendly destinations in the world in the Spartacus Gay Travel Index 2026, the annual global ranking published by Spartacus International Gay Guide. The country shares fourth place globally with Canada, Germany, and Portugal, confirming its status as one of the safest and most welcoming places for queer travellers.
The index, published annually since 2012, evaluates the legal situation and living conditions for LGBTQIA+ people in 216 countries and regions worldwide. It analyses laws, social conditions and safety indicators that influence the travel experience of queer visitors.
The 2026 edition is presented in partnership with Booking.com’s Travel Proud programme, which provides inclusive hospitality training for accommodation providers and already counts more than 95,000 certified properties worldwide.
Belgium firmly in the global top tier
In the 2026 ranking, Belgium achieves 12 points, placing it among the leading countries worldwide. Only Iceland, Malta, and Spain score higher.
Belgium performs strongly across nearly all legal categories measured by the index, including anti-discrimination legislation, marriage equality and adoption rights for same-sex couples. The country also scores highly for transgender recognition and equal age of consent, while receiving no negative points for factors such as anti-gay laws, censorship or criminalisation of homosexuality.
These indicators reflect Belgium’s long-standing legal framework for LGBTQIA+ rights. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2003, and the country provides extensive protections against discrimination as well as legal recognition of gender identity.
As a result, Belgium is grouped among a small number of countries considered both legally secure and socially welcoming for LGBTQIA+ travellers.
The top countries for LGBTQ travellers
At the top of the Gay Travel Index 2026 stands Iceland, which takes first place thanks to comprehensive equality legislation and high levels of social acceptance. Malta and Spain share second place, while Belgium joins Canada, Germany, and Portugal in fourth place.
The top ten countries in the 2026 ranking are:
- Iceland.
- Malta.
- Spain.
- Belgium.
- Canada.
- Germany.
- Portugal.
- New Zealand.
- Norway.
- Switzerland.
These destinations score highly across categories such as marriage equality, adoption rights, transgender recognition and anti-discrimination protections, as well as the visibility of LGBTQIA+ communities and tourism marketing.
Many of these countries also have well-established queer communities and major Pride events, helping create a welcoming atmosphere for international visitors.
Major climbers in the ranking
The 2026 index also highlights how quickly political developments can influence LGBTQ rights and travel safety.
One of the biggest climbers this year is Poland, which rose dramatically from rank 118 to rank 59 after improvements in transgender protections and a reduction in state hostility toward LGBTQIA+ people.
Nepal also improved significantly, rising to rank 32 following the introduction of self-identification procedures for transgender people and a gradual improvement in social attitudes.
These changes illustrate how rapidly conditions for LGBTQIA+ travellers can evolve when legal frameworks or political climates shift.
Countries losing ground
While some countries improved, others saw their positions deteriorate.
According to the 2026 index, Iraq, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan experienced some of the sharpest declines due to increased repression and worsening safety conditions for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
At the bottom of the ranking remain countries where homosexuality is criminalised or punishable by death. Yemen, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Chechnya (a republic within Russia) continue to rank among the most dangerous places in the world for queer people.
The index applies significant negative points in countries where homosexuality is illegal, where Pride events are banned, or where censorship and persecution of LGBTQIA+ people occur. In countries where the death penalty for homosexuality is enforced, the index assigns the maximum negative score to ensure they appear at the bottom of the ranking.
Measuring both laws and social reality
The Spartacus Gay Travel Index evaluates 18 different criteria, ranging from legal rights to social conditions. Positive points are awarded for measures such as anti-discrimination laws, marriage equality, transgender rights and bans on conversion practices.
Negative points are given for factors including anti-gay legislation, censorship, violence or hostile social attitudes.
The ranking therefore attempts to balance two perspectives: the rights of local LGBTQIA+ communities and the safety of queer travellers abroad.
For many travellers, the index serves as a practical guide when choosing destinations. At the same time, the authors emphasise that some visitors intentionally travel to countries with difficult conditions in order to engage with local LGBTQIA+ communities and raise awareness of inequalities.
A widening gap between laws and social acceptance
One of the key trends highlighted in the 2026 index is the growing gap between legal equality and social acceptance.
Even countries with strong legal protections sometimes lost points due to declining public attitudes toward LGBTQIA+ people. Canada, Australia, and Denmark, for example, saw minor score reductions because survey data indicated increasing hostility in parts of society.
This means that while laws may protect LGBTQIA+ travellers, everyday experiences can still vary significantly depending on social attitudes.
The United States: one country, two realities
The 2026 edition also includes a separate USA Index, which evaluates all fifty states individually because LGBTQIA+ rights vary widely across the country.
According to the index, the most LGBTQIA+-friendly states are New York, California, Nevada, and Washington, which combine strong anti-discrimination laws, hate-crime protections, and visible queer infrastructure such as Pride events and LGBTQIA+ businesses.
Other states have moved in the opposite direction. Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Arkansas appear near the bottom of the US ranking, reflecting restrictive legislation affecting transgender healthcare, education policies and legal protections.
The Spartacus report also highlights a broader political divide in the United States. In recent years, several states have introduced laws limiting discussions of sexual orientation or gender identity in schools, a development reflected in the index’s newly added ‘censorship‘ category.
A strong signal for Belgium’s tourism reputation
Belgium’s strong position in the 2026 ranking reinforces its status as a welcoming destination for LGBTQIA+ travellers. Cities such as Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent host major Pride events and maintain visible queer communities, while national legislation provides robust legal protection.
For tourism authorities and travel businesses, the ranking also underscores the country’s reputation as an inclusive destination in a global market where safety and equality increasingly influence travel decisions.
With its fourth-place ranking, Belgium remains firmly within the global top tier of LGBTQ-friendly destinations — a position that reflects both decades of legal progress and an increasingly visible and accepted queer community.
LGBTQIA+ and travel
- Senegal doubles prison sentences for gay sex amid rising homophobia.
- Malaysia, which outlaws gay sex, blocks access to Grindr and Blued.
- BELGIUM | Safer in theory, harsher in reality: violence and polarisation mark 2025 for LGBTQIA+ people.
- Europe reaches new low as LGBTQIA+ people face renewed criminalisation.
- RAINBOW EUROPE MAP AND INDEX 2025 | United Kingdom, Hungary and Georgia drop dramatically on LGBTQIA+ rights ranking.
- RAINBOW EUROPE MAP AND INDEX 2024 | These are the LGBTQIA+ friendly and LGBTQIA+ unfriendly countries in Europe.
- SPARTACUS GAY TRAVEL INDEX 2024 | Malta, Canada, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal the most gay friendly destinations; Belgium now 21st.
- SPARTACUS GAY TRAVEL INDEX 2025 | USA and Eastern Europe under observation.
- 2025 | 65 countries where gay sex is illegal.
- ILGA-EUROPE | New era of coordinated attacks on foundations of Fundamental Rights, as EU bins Equal Treatment Directive.
- West of Ireland to host EuroPride 2028.
- GRINDR UNWRAPPED 2025 | Belgium and the Netherlands still love twinks, Taipei’s popularity rises.
- GRINDR UNWRAPPED 2024 | Belgium and the Netherlands still love twinks.
- The best cities to visit as a gay solo traveller.
- EUROPEAN UNION | Pride events do raise awareness for LGBTQIA+.
- Gay Hong Kong.
- Mr Gay Europe 2026 contest to cruise with VACAYA at summer’s end.
- How gay friendly are trending travel destinations Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina with Republika Srpska, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine?.
- ILGA WORLD | Despite more legal protections for LGBTI people, stark opposition has been a recurring theme in debates in every UN member State.
- Spartacus Travel Awards pinpoint Brussels and Taiwan as top LGBTQIA+ destinations.
- Pride movement in Europe expecting increased hostility.
- QUEER ANDORRA | Entre Nous, the only gay bar in the village.
- Europeans more accepting of LGBTQIA+ people than their political leaders.
- Queer Iceland & Rainbow(baiting) Reykjavík.
- Heading for the sun in gay destination Torremolinos.
- Manchester’s gaybourhood around Canal Street.
- 13 US states still officially punish gay sex.
- Sang Young Park, an insight on queer life in South Korea.
- Pride in Valladolid, Yucatán and queer encounters in Mexico.
- FLORIDA SOLO ROAD TRIP | Eye-opening encounters in Miami.
- FLORIDA SOLO ROAD TRIP | Key West.
- FLORIDA SOLO ROAD TRIP | Fort Lauderdale.
- FLORIDA SOLO ROAD TRIP | National Pulse Memorial and Museum in Orlando.
- Queer in a hostile world: more likely to be arrested for looking gay than for actual homosexual acts.
- Travel guide for people with HIV.
- LGBTQ+ get-together on Majestic Princess.
- HOW TO | Travel to the Eurovision Song Contest.
- Gays failing at being gay? ‘LGBTQ Mix & Mingle’ on Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas lacked enthusiasm.
- Gay Tel Aviv: pinkwashing or genuine?.
- To be or not to be out and proud LGBTQ when travelling?.
- A plea for LGBTQ travel in post-communist Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
- Gay Taipei with misterb&b.
- VIDEO | Looking for intimacy in a crowd of strangers in Japan and South Korea.
- Are you travelling to a hostile destination?.
