Italy ranks worst EU country for LGBTQ+ travelers in 2026 safety map

Italy ranked last in the EU

Italy is ranked the worst and least safe EU country for LGBTQ+ tourists in the LGBTQ Travel Safety Map 2026, a report presented on Monday, 9 November. Italy placed 36th of the 49 countries analysed, one place lower than the previous year. Its score of 24.11% is down 1.23% from 2025 and sits well below the EU average of 52%. The report calls Italy the "true Achilles' heel" of Southern Europe when it comes to welcoming gay and lesbian visitors.

Spain leads Europe's top 10

Spain is the clear frontrunner of the continental top 10 with 88.7%. The list continues with Malta, Iceland, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Luxembourg. Portugal is singled out for leading the travel indices for hospitality and services. According to the report, the continent remains the safest region globally for queer travelers, although progress is uneven.

Spain88.7%

EU average52%

Italy24.11%

Spain

88.7 %

EU average

52 %

Italy

24.11 %

Data from the article text

The business travel gap

A separate analysis presented alongside the report found that only 50% of LGBTQ+ workers feel comfortable traveling for business. Some 23% report feeling anxious, and nearly 45% have to hide their identity on work trips for safety reasons. Giovanna Ceccherini of Sonders & Beach called the issue an emergency that cannot be ignored.

“A business traveler does not travel for leisure or for an optional tourism choice.”

A business traveler who does not feel welcome or protected cannot simply change destination or refuse a hotel, she said.

Where the report came from

The report was presented at the opening of the fourth edition of the European LGBTQ+ Tourism Summit, promoted by ELTA (European LGBTQ+ Travel Alliance) in partnership with Roma Capitale. The European Parliament and Federturismo Confindustria provided institutional patronage. The compiling organisations were several travel-risk, travel-safety and human-rights groups. An analysis of ILGA-Europe's 2026 Rainbow Map data puts the European rights average at 43%, up 2.75% on 2025, rising to 52% for EU countries alone.