According to the index, Malta, last year’s top destination, is joined by Spain, Canada, New Zealand, and Portugal as the safest and most welcoming places for LGBTQ+ travelers in 2024, each scoring 12 points. Estonia showed the most significant improvement, moving from 2 to 6 points due to the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2023. Uruguay ranks highest among Latin American countries, sharing the third position with Denmark, Iceland, Germany, and Norway, each scoring 10 points.

Conversely, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the Republic of Chechnya in Russia, and Afghanistan are the most dangerous countries for LGBTQ+ travelers, each scoring -21 points, where homosexuals face persecution and death. Russia also ranks poorly with -17 points due to its increasingly strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws, equating the movement with extremist organizations.

In Asia, Taiwan ranks highest, placing 13th alongside Sweden, Luxembourg, Ireland, Finland, Colombia, Chile, and Austria. Spartacus predicts that Thailand could climb the ranks due to a new same-sex marriage bill expected to become law in 2024. India ranks 44th, tied with Guam, Gibraltar, and Ecuador.

The index evaluates 18 categories, from marriage equality to the death penalty for LGBTQ+ individuals. It focuses on political decisions affecting queer people, legal frameworks, and incidents of violence, among other factors.

The report’s authors aim to serve all types of travelers, whether they seek destinations where the LGBTQ+ community is accepted and celebrated or wish to engage with oppressed local queer communities.