Send a message of love at Orbitz.com/thejourney December 1-6, 2020 to help raise money for the IGLTA Foundation

CHICAGO, Illinois (November 18, 2020) – Travel has always had the power to broaden horizons, open doors and teach travelers about themselves and the world around them. For those in the LGBTQ+ community, however, travel isn’t always easy or accessible. That’s why two of Hollywood’s rising LGBTQ+ actors, activists, and castmates – Jeremy Pope and Indya Moore of FX’s Pose – are collaborating with leading travel brand Orbitz to advocate for equality in the travel industry this Giving Tuesday.

Beginning December 1, 2020 Pope, Moore and Orbitz are kicking off a weeklong campaign to help raise up to $50,000 USD benefitting the  International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) Foundation. As part of the charitable drive, the celebrities star in social videos, art directed and filmed by Pope himself, in which they share intimate stories about their journey to becoming who they are today and invite their followers to take action.

“Not everyone feels safe enough to be themselves openly in this world. Finding that safety is a journey that requires so much self-love and acceptance, and deserves celebration,” says Indya Moore, who plays the role of Angel Evangelista on Pose. “Some of us can and have done it alone, but it’s easier when we have the support we need to embark on our journey to realizing ourselves, our dreams, and what we deserve. I’m so grateful that Orbitz is supporting us by helping improve our already challenging travel experiences. Any and all support for LGBTQ+ people and our journeys takes us a long way.”

How to Get Involved

Together with Orbitz, Pope and Moore are asking followers on Instagram to visit Orbitz.com/thejourney to thank a friend or family member who has helped them on their journey to self-love and acceptance. For every thank you message sent, Orbitz will donate $20, up to a total of $50,000, to the IGLTA Foundation, which provides education, research and leadership development that benefits the global LGBTQ+ tourism industry.

To participate:

  1. Visit com/thejourney between December 1-6, 2020.
  2. Send a note of thanks to someone using the email or social share links on-site.
  3. Orbitz will donate $20 to the IGLTA Foundation for every message sent, up to $50,000. Additionally, thank you message recipients will receive 15% off a hotel stay when they book future travel on Orbitz, and those who sent thank you messages will receive $20 Orbucks, travel dollars equal to $1 USD, when their referral books a hotel stay on Orbitz.com[1].

#TheJourney

Pope and Moore will share their personal stories of coming out and self-acceptance on Instagram the first week of December. Pope directed the social video series, creatively titled #TheJourney, and worked closely with Indya on developing the content remotely. The relationship between the Pose co-stars, who are currently filming season 3 of the show, and their shared passion and advocacy within the LGBTQ+ community, led Pope to take a more active role in collaborating on the Orbitz campaign.

“From the very beginning, I knew I wanted to have a very hands-on role in Orbitz’s Giving Tuesday campaign because the meaning and intention behind it is one so deeply personal to me,” says Pope, who starred in Netflix’s Hollywood, which debuted earlier this year. “I art directed and shot the video one-on-one with Indya to give the campaign content an added layer of intimacy. I hope the rawness in our storytelling helps spark meaningful dialogue around the journeys we all traverse within the LGBTQ+ community.”

Creating A More Open World Through Travel

Orbitz has a long history of supporting LGBTQ+ travel and was among the first travel brands to create advertising and content featuring openly gay couples, drag personalities and celebrities in the 2000s. Earlier this year, the brand doubled down on its commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. In August, Orbitz launched an online travel destination, Orbitz.com/Pride, featuring LGBTQ+-welcoming properties and started a travel donation program benefiting a rotating list of LGBTQ+ charities including The Trevor Project and Trans Lifeline.

“The journey is just beginning for our brand as we advocate for a more equal and inclusive travel experience for LGBTQ+ travelers around the world,” says Carey Malloy, Orbitz brand and marketing director. “We’re thrilled to be working with Jeremy and Indya, who are influential and important advocates in this community, to support this work with the IGLTA Foundation.”

For LGBTQ+ travel resources, including itineraries, destination recommendations and LGBTQ+-friendly lodging options around the world, visit Orbitz.com/Pride.

About Orbitz
For more than 20 years, Orbitz has been a trusted friend to the LGBTQIA community. Since launching the first LGBTQ-themed travel ad and dedicated microsite – gayorbitz.com – in the early 2000s, we’ve been committed to making travel more inclusive. At Orbitz.com/Pride, travelers can book LGBTQIA-welcoming hotels that have signed our pledge of inclusivity, plan their next vacation, and earn free travel rewards instantly through the award-winning Orbitz Rewards loyalty program. With Orbitz Rewards, travelers instantly earn Orbucks on bookings which can be redeemed on 385,000+ hotels worldwide. Members also receive hotel perks and travel benefits the more they book, and earn up to 10 percent back with the Orbitz Reward Visa® Card. See Terms and Conditions.

© 2020 Orbitz, LLC, An Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Orbitz, Orbitz.com, and the Orbitz logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Orbitz, LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. CST #2063530-50

[1] See Orbitz.com/refer for Giving Tuesday Campaign terms and conditions and see Orbitz.com/rewards for Orbitz Rewards terms and conditions.