Malta named top European travel destination for LGBTIQ+ people

Belgium came in second place.

Malta

Malta continues to lead the way for LGBTIQ+ rights in Europe. Source: AFP

For the fourth year in a row, Malta has been named the most LGBTIQ+ friendly travel destination in Europe, earning a 90.35 per cent rating out of 100.

The annual , produced by , ranks 49 European countries based on categories including: equality and non-discrimination, family, hate crime and hate speech, legal gender recognition and bodily integrity, civil society space and asylum.

Malta, home to less than half a million people, is fast becoming , becoming the in 2016.

Belgium came in second place on the 2019 list, with a 73.08 per cent rating, followed by Luxenbourg, with 70.40 per cent.
Discussing the process that goes into each year's list, ILGA-Europe co-chair, Darienne Flemington, said: “We know what is needed and the formula for success is obvious: Laws and explicit policies matter."

She added: "Political leadership matters. Add to this mix meaningful engagement with communities and civil society and you can make a real difference in the lives of LGBTIQ+ people."

The UK only just cracked the top 10, landing in ninth place with a 62 per cent score. Last place went to Azerbaijan, which scored only 3 per cent.

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Published 23 May 2019 3:26pm
By Samuel Leighton-Dore


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