Atlanta has earned a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index since 2013 and is one of 225 U.S. cities that have non-discrimination ordinances, including gender and sexual orientation. In 2018, the Georgia capital welcomed 56 million visitors, including more than 1 million international visitors. And in 2021, it will play host to the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) Annual Global Convention.

“The Annual Global Convention is our largest event by far, but we host a variety of small networking events throughout the year with our partners and members around the world—often in conjunction with major trade fairs like WTM, ITB Berlin or the New York Times Travel Show,” says John Tanzella, IGLTA president and CEO.

Atlanta has earned a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index since 2013.

Atlanta is a welcoming beacon in the South, Tanzella says, a city that respects diversity not just for LGBTQ+ people, but also racial, ethnic, immigrant and international communities. 

According to Tanzella, the Atlanta CVB is willing to go the extra mile to support inclusivity, including rallying with the local hospitality community against anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have come up in the Georgia legislature. William Pate, CVB president and CEO, has been a great champion for diversity. The mayor’s office has had a dedicated LGBTQ affairs coordinator since early 2018, and the city is home to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. 

“We’re incredibly excited that our opening reception will be at the world-class Georgia Aquarium, which is not only a spectacular attraction but has a longtime commitment to supporting the local LGBTQ+ community,” Tanzella says. “Delta Air Lines also generously donated the Delta Flight Museum for our IGLTA Foundation fundraiser, Voyage, held during the convention.”

Continued Growth

Atlanta’s meeting industry infrastructure continues to grow as it welcomes diverse groups of all sizes. In fact, the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) recently completed Exhibit Hall BC, creating more than 1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space. 

“This gives us an opportunity to grow with our existing customers and compete for some of the country’s largest conventions,” says Mark Vaughan, executive vice president and chief sales officer for the Atlanta CVB.

Construction will also begin soon on the new, 1,000-room Signia Hilton hotel, which will connect directly to the GWCC. The Gensler-designed property is expected to offer 75,000 square feet of meeting space when it is completed in 2022.

“This property will provide options for existing conventions and create additional convention business for the GWCC,” Vaughan says. “It will provide meeting planners with an additional convention hotel in close proximity to the already 12,000 hotel rooms within a mile of the GWCC.”

The Reverb by Hard Rock Downtown Atlanta is set to open near the GWCC and Mercedes-Benz Stadium this year, too. This 11-story hotel will feature 197 guest rooms along with co-working and meeting space. 

Accessible Neighborhoods

While IGLTA isn’t a citywide conference, it does need a stylish, centrally located hotel with ample meeting space. The organization found that in the 466-room W Atlanta - Midtown, which renovated its public spaces last summer, expanding its indoor and outdoor seating as well as reimagining its guest rooms with murals honoring the city’s role as an epicenter of entertainment and music. 

“We also look for good airline connectivity for our global attendees, an engaged LGBTQ+ community and interesting venues for offsite events that showcase the destination,” Tanzella says.

Some of those interesting venues can be found in a variety of up-and-coming areas, such as Atlanta’s Eastside and Westside neighborhoods, which are flourishing with new developments. 

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“Neighborhoods on Atlanta’s Eastside are connected by the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail and green space that runs three miles from Piedmont Park to Reynoldstown,” Vaughan says. “Along the Eastside Trail are two of the neighborhood’s newest developments, Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market, where locals and visitors alike will find chef-driven concepts alongside curated retail options.” 

On the Westside, visitors will find a new district within old industrial spaces where dining thrives, Vaughan says. Staple eateries Little Star Provisions and JCT Kitchen & Bar anchor the district, while new, lively concepts such as Little Trouble and Cooks & Soldiers make their mark.

Atlanta’s ease of accessibility is one of its positive traits. For example, more than 80 percent of the U.S. population lives within a two-hour flight of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Once arriving in the city, Vaughan says, visitors can easily access MARTA, the rapid rail system, to transition from one neighborhood to the next.

“Having previously lived in Atlanta for more than 20 years, I’m looking forward to showcasing the city and its many charming neighborhoods to our global delegation of LGBTQ+ welcoming tourism professionals, many of whom will be unfamiliar with the destination,” Tanzella says.