Edgar Weggelaar: CEO of Queer Destinations

Background & Identity

Can you introduce yourself and share how you describe what you do today?

My name is Edgar Weggelaar, and I am the CEO of Queer Destinations. In short, what I do today is lead a global company dedicated to LGBTQ+ tourism, combining values of inclusion with a professional vision of the tourism industry built on years of experience in companies like Juliá Travel Worldwide. Queer Destinations acts as a bridge between destinations, tourism-sector companies (hotels, transportation, leisure…), and LGBTQ+ travelers, ensuring that spaces are safe, respectful, and truly inclusive. We are currently driving our international expansion strategy (we are present in multiple countries) and promoting our Queer Destinations Committed certification, which guarantees that a destination or company has trained its entire value chain through our educational program “Hospitality Meets Diversity.”

Beyond business, my personal mission with Queer Destinations is to transform the tourism industry: to make tourism not just an economic act, but a platform for inclusion where more people can travel without having to “go back into the closet.”

Where did you grow up, and how did your early environment shape who you are?

My background is strongly shaped by the fact that I grew up and developed in a wide variety of places: the Netherlands, Belgium, Holland, different parts of Spain (Tarragona, Barcelona, Zaragoza, and Madrid), Germany, Greece, Italy, South Korea, Singapore… All of this has had a powerful influence on me, both personally and professionally, especially when it comes to experiencing different cultures and languages and better understanding the context of various countries and groups of people.

What aspects of your identity—cultural, personal, lived experience—are central to your story?

Having been raised in such an international environment, both through my family and the places I’ve lived in, my personality is shaped by a wide mix of cultures and contexts. This gives me a broader, more global understanding of the world, of people, and of their different realities.

Personal Journey

What pivotal moments have shaped your personal path?

Without a doubt, growing up in a humble environment. I saw my family work incredibly hard, and I did exactly the same. Living in so many places and pursuing so many opportunities made me someone who can continuously adapt to any place and situation. That’s essential when you work in a business sector where you interact with people from so many different cultures.

Have there been challenges or barriers you faced that you feel comfortable sharing?

I’ve faced cultural and linguistic barriers, differences in education and training compared to people from other backgrounds… But I would say that, without question, I must mention the barriers I encountered regarding being able to express myself freely. In different professional environments, I was pressured to pretend to be someone I wasn’t, or even to go back into the closet. That’s why I understand so clearly why Queer Destinations is necessary: many people around the world still have to choose between being themselves freely or having the opportunity to work and earn a living. Free self-expression is still a privilege that many people are denied.

Who or what has influenced your values, resilience, or worldview?

My entire family: grandparents, parents, siblings, friends, uncles, cousins… my whole environment. I come from a humble family, from grandparents who had to leave their homes to start businesses abroad, facing cultural barriers and learning languages they didn’t know. They did it out of necessity, but they also did it without fear because they knew it was what they had to do.

Professional Journey

How did your career begin, and what led you to your current work?

It runs in the family: my mother has always been connected to the tourism world. It’s what she loved, and that shaped the path I eventually built for my own career.

Was there a turning point or catalyst that changed your direction?

At first, I trained for a different profession: I started studying electronics and later shifted to business studies. I had to realize that I wanted to dedicate myself to something I truly felt called to do. I ended up finding that calling in tourism.

Edgar Weegelaar, pictured second from the right

What are you most proud of professionally so far?

I have always been a leader in inclusion: for women, LGBTQ+ people… everyone, in all my jobs. I’ve always believed in leaving no one behind and that, together, we can make any work environment fairer.
As for specific milestones, I’m especially proud of achieving vital transformations in several companies under my leadership; including joining one while it was in bankruptcy proceedings and completely reversing its situation. I’m also proud of starting from the bottom: in Greece, I went from being a Destination Representative to becoming the destination director for the entire country, overcoming the language barrier and learning the language to do so.

Purpose & Impact

What mission drives your work today?

Before joining Queer Destinations, I wasn’t fully aware of how necessary a company like this was. When I took the lead, it became increasingly clear how much change the industry needed. There are still many barriers, many mindsets that refuse to accept or include what they don’t understand because they’ve decided they won’t listen to certain people. I’ve always advocated for inclusion, but I wasn’t aware of how much work was still left to do.

Meeting my current business partner and the founder of Queer Destinations during the pandemic was also a turning point for me. That moment of connection and shared vision led me to reflect deeply on the responsibility we have to create safer, more inclusive spaces within the industry. That is my mission now.

How does your work create change for the communities or audiences you serve?

I firmly believe that the work we do at Queer Destinations benefits all the destinations where we are present. The possibility of having tourism that is free, fearless, and visible helps societies become more accustomed to diversity, respect it more, and support marginalized communities. We also work hard to give opportunities to local LGBTQ+ communities, promoting their businesses, their spaces, etc, so they can gain recognition and financial security that allows them to be visible more easily.
That is the best part of our work: being aware of the social impact we can have. Our mission is not to sell tourism packages; it’s to change the world little by little, even if slowly, improving people’s lives every day.

Where do you see the most urgent need for innovation or advocacy in your field?

I’d say ensuring real commitment, not just symbolic or for publicity, from companies and people who truly have the power to change the lives of those living in each destination. Expanding the visibility of diversity and, through that, driving public policies in the destinations where we work; policies that genuinely protect the safety and inclusion of LGBTQ+ people, especially in places where laws are still not favorable.

Identity in the Workplace

How has your personal identity influenced your professional decisions or leadership style?

It has influenced me in the sense that I don’t see myself as a “boss” in the traditional sense. I like to lead, to guide, and to work alongside a team that shares a mission and a commitment. But I don’t like imposing or dictating. I want us to listen to one another, and I want people to follow me because my decisions help us achieve the purpose we share.

What have you learned about navigating authenticity in professional spaces?

I’ve learned that it’s not always easy; it comes with challenges due to the structures of the sector. The work we do at Queer Destinations faces clear social, political, and cultural barriers. Many people choose not to make things easy for us, and there are many spaces where we are not made to feel welcome. It’s the price of fighting for a freedom that not everyone tolerates, but we will continue until that freedom belongs to every person.

What systemic changes would you like to see in your industry?

The biggest change would be that Queer Destinations wouldn’t need to exist. That absolutely all companies would have inclusion and respect for diversity integrated into their DNA, and that people understood that many groups in our society face additional hurdles that must be addressed to create a fairer world. If those changes start within companies, we can eventually bring them to society as a whole.

Creative or Entrepreneurial Insights

What’s unique about your approach to strategy, creativity, or problem-solving?

I would say, without a doubt, that I always go straight to the root of the problem, not circling around it, and that I know how to identify the needs of each company, as well as their fears. It’s crucial to help every business group understand that LGBTQ+ people are a segment fully involved in the daily reality of society: we are part of it, and no tourism business can reach its full potential while leaving us out.

How do you stay motivated, curious, or inspired?

I’m someone who loves learning. I also like to feel that each of us can change the world a little in our own way, and I believe I can do that effectively within the business world. That’s my form of activism: working to change the mindset of businesspeople, people who have the power to make decisions. Decisions made from a more empathetic and inclusive perspective can be vital for many people.
Recently, someone told us they were outraged about having to take our training, but at the end of the session they apologized and said it was more necessary than they had thought.

What advice would you offer to someone starting a similar journey?

I would tell them it’s important to be aware of the influence and power we can all have, especially within the business sector. We can help others open their minds and, through their decisions, change the lives of thousands of people. In my case, I believe I’ve helped change how many of my colleagues in the sector see certain issues, in part because I had already earned their respect before joining Queer Destinations.

There have been people who reacted negatively to the fact that I am now even more vocal about LGBTQ+ rights, but overall the balance has been very positive. The many positive reactions give you the energy you need to keep going.

Future Vision

What’s next for you—projects, ambitions, communities you want to support?

We are constantly expanding and want to establish a presence in more and more countries and destinations. Anything that promotes inclusion will always have our support. We want to help transform the world bit by bit, in our own way, day by day.

On a more personal level, I am committed to avoiding pinkwashing. We believe that using our flag, symbols, and identity solely to increase profitability, but without any real commitment behind it—can be very harmful to our movement. We don’t want anything that subtracts; we want genuine commitment backed by real work so that fewer and fewer people face discrimination.

When you imagine your legacy, what would you hope people say?

I would like our work to make it increasingly unnecessary in the future for people to have these conversations again. “Why does a company like this exist? Why is it needed?” And for no one to have to ask about someone’s sexual orientation or identity, or see their opportunities limited because of how they express themselves. Too many of us have already had to go through that; we want to put an end to it.

Human Details

What’s something about you that surprises people?

That I speak nine different languages; people are often shocked when I say it!

Book / Film / Album / Cultural moment currently inspiring you?

I could list too many books and too many films and it still wouldn’t be enough. Above all, I would say content that raises visibility and highlights stories that have traditionally been erased, such as those of trans people. To mention something lighter, I’m very inspired by the music of artists like Lady Gaga or Madonna, or by fantasy and science fiction stories, such as the X-Men.

What does “belonging” mean to you?

It’s a concept I’ve had to work on deeply. Having grown up in so many different places, I lived in a way where no one ever told me, “This is home.” I had to create my own home. I think that’s also why I understand so many people who, because of who they are, know what it feels like not to belong. I understand those who have had to search for and decide where they belong.
Describe a moment lately that made you feel joyful, seen, or challenged.
Not long ago, someone reacted quite loudly and defiantly upon learning they would receive diversity training with us. At the end of the session, they apologized; I think they understood many things they had misunderstood about LGBTQ+ people throughout their life, and their perspective changed.
Also recently, a couple of women, and later a young man, approached me on the street to tell me they knew about Queer Destinations’ work and were very grateful.
And finally, I must mention conversations with business colleagues who had previously held openly homophobic attitudes and denied inclusion to LGBTQ+ people, and who later admitted their mistake and apologized. That moves me deeply.

Quick-Fire

Coffee order: Iced coffee
Favourite city to get lost in: Amsterdam
What you’re learning to let go of: The disappointment of realizing that people you thought would support you no matter what ultimately don’t.
A piece of advice you wish you’d heard earlier: Never change who you are just because someone else doesn’t like it. This still happens very often in the LGBTQ+ community when people try to force us back into the closet. I wish I had never felt the need to hide; it’s something I would never do again.