1

The Founding of VACAYA

VACAYA is the first large-scale LGBT+ vacation company for adults to launch in decades and is travelers’ hot new choice in LGBT experiences. VACAYA charters entire ships and resorts, so LGBT+ travelers have the freedom to express their individuality, make personal connections, celebrate life, rev up, or simply relax… together.

VACAYA is built on unique differentiators and is carving out an entirely new path for inclusivity, new destinations, unique experiences, balance, giving back, and delivering on a promise to be their guests’ travel savvy companions.

To build a truly transformative company, it takes a unique group of leaders and a dedicated team willing to rewrite the playbook rather than simply follow the rules. One thing that unifies VACAYA founders Randle, John, Patrick, and Tracy is their passion for travel and an understanding of the world. They are fascinated by culture, history, and cuisine. Their travel bucket lists are driven by curiosity, hope for a better tomorrow, and the belief they can come to a deeper understanding of a place and its people.

The inspiration for VACAYA began for Randle, John, Patrick, and Tracy long before their roles in the full-ship/full-resort charter business, even before their 100+ years of combined experience in management, marketing, and operations.

The VACAYA concept was sparked on their own vacations, where they encountered two very different experiences. The all-gay cruises were liberating, empowering, and fun, but limited to a small spectrum of people. And while everyone loves a good time, there’s more to a memorable vacation than just parties. Mainstream vacations offered more activities and destinations, and were accessible to a diverse set of people, but didn’t always feel like a friendly, judgment-free environment.

All of the founders shared a sense there was a sweet spot – a great “in between” – one that offered the joy of like-minded people coming together to celebrate, with more activities, destinations, and ways to personalize the vacation experience than ever before. One that capitalized on smart, tech-savvy booking and customer service – just as you might expect with a mainstream vacation company.

From this inspiration, VACAYA was born. The name itself speaks to the concept: “VACAYA” is a word from Polari, a centuries-old language used by the gay subculture to discreetly communicate. Alongside that, the slang word “vacay” has become a casual mainstream term for vacation. Put together, the two meanings celebrate VACAYA’s LGBT+ identity and the inclusive, joyful, and unfettered spirit they cherish.

You can read more about The Vacayans’ values and perspectives on their blog page: http://www.myvacaya.com/blog/

1 thought on “The Founding of VACAYA”

Comments are closed.