Out of Office founder on travelling to anti-LGBTQ countries: ‘Laws cannot fully keep people from being themselves’

Darren Burn, the founder and CEO of Out of Office, has spoken with travel writer and 2024 Attitude 101 travel category lead John O’Ceallaigh about why he launched his travel agency and how the travel market is evolving.

Below, the pair discuss the impact of LGBTQ+ identity on the travel industry, the evolving landscape of diversity and inclusivity in tourism, and the personal and professional benefits of travel experiences.

John O’Ceallaigh: Are there ways in which your identity drew you to the travel industry, and what was it about how the travel industry integrates diversity that appealed to you?

Darren Burn: Travel has such a universal and forward-thinking outlook to it that ever since I was little, travel has always captivated me.

When I thought about starting Out Of Office, it always baffled me that such a high percentage of those who work in travel identified as LGBTQ+ but the laws in so many countries didn’t match up to that.

It was one of the inspirations behind founding the business to try to effect change there.

I’ve visited many countries where being myself is technically illegal. But what I love about that is that laws cannot fully keep people from being themselves. I’ve met many LGBTQ+ individuals in countries where it’s illegal to be gay.

I truly believe it’s important to travel to these places and be seen in the hope of effective change. Beyond that, there is a commercial argument that many tourist boards and destinations are now seeing and I think it’s right to help effect that change by showcasing the commercial benefit.

Can you provide some general insight into ways the travel industry is becoming more aware and open-minded with regards to diversity and the LGBTQ+ community’s needs?

The industry continues to evolve. The commercial argument is becoming clearer – no destination will be able to hide from the fact that the LGBTQ+ segment accounts for more than 10% of tourists worldwide and approximately 16% of total travel spend (more than $195bn a year), according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

You can even see how places in the Middle East are turning their attention to tourism in a big way. I’m not saying change is going to be fast, but it will happen – and hopefully in my lifetime.

What strengths does your identity contribute to the way you approach your work?

Anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+ will know all too well the struggles of having to consistently come out or what it’s like to face direct and indirect discrimination growing up.

It builds in you a natural empathy and strength that means you don’t just give up when someone says no or something doesn’t go well. This has helped me build a diverse team with resilience at their core, but also with the ability to be who they are at every stage of their working life.

How has travel enriched your life?

I’m not sure it’s a conscious thing. I think travelling just opens your mind. You see things you wouldn’t in your own country and you understand more about cultural differences and identities that you can’t get from staying in one place.

John O’Ceallaigh is the founder of LUTE, an agency that provides consultancy, branding and content-creation services to luxury-travel businesses.