Travel With Pride

All nine affiliated properties of Accent Inns Inc. are now officially Rainbow Registered with Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce.

First launched in June 2021, the Rainbow Registered Accreditation Program was created to better identify 2SLGBTQI+ friendly businesses across Canada and move the needle on 2SLGBTQI+ rights.

Rainbow Registration is a national Canadian accreditation for 2SLGBTQI+ friendly businesses and organizations. Seeing a Rainbow Registered symbol indicates to consumers that the business meets a stringent set of standards to ensure 2SLGBTQI+ visitors feel safe, welcomed, and accepted.

Mandy Farmer, CEO at Accent Inns Inc., said: “I can’t begin to describe what it means to be the first hotel chain to have all of their properties be Rainbow Registered. Goosebumps, swelling heart, misty eyes and so fiercely proud of my amazing team for making this happen.”

Establishing a Deadname Standard Operating Procedure was a key priority for Accent Inns Inc. this year. A deadname reflects the name given to a transgender person at birth which they no longer identify with and can be extremely invalidating for transgendered folks, potentially subjecting that person to harassment and discrimination.

In order to enact this revolutionary policy, Accent Inns Inc. worked with their providers to develop unique customization of their booking engine specifically to alleviate anxiety among folks whose names do not match the name on their government-issued identification.

Fulsome, mandatory training is also required for managers. Included in this training are components of proper pronoun usage and education on terms associated with gender and human identities. As a commitment to all staff, Accent Inns Inc. benefits package covers hormone therapy so that staff members who chose a medical transition can show up at work and in their lives as their authentic selves.

Matt Schmitt, Sales and Marketing Coordinator at Accent Inns Inc. and driver of this initiative, said that: “Regardless of whether you are a guest or employee, our intention at Accent Inns, Hotel Zed and ROAR is to make our properties a space where you can show up as your true authentic self every day.”

Schmitt continued: “For me, this is more than flying a flag or putting a sticker on our window. It’s about genuinely welcoming and celebrating everyone who walks into our hotel, regardless of gender identity, expression, or sexual orientation. Being a good human and doing the right thing is embedded in who we are, and it feels damn good.”

As a commitment to the 2SLGBTQI+ community, Accent Inns Inc. dedicates significant resources to support local queer-friendly community groups and organizations.

For the month of February in 2022, the properties unveiled unique, multimedia Progress Pride Flags in their lobbies and provided queer-friendly Valentine’s Day cards to include the queer community in a holiday that has traditionally overlooked the 2SLGBTQI+ community.

, CEO of Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, said that: “The global LGBT+ travel market is estimated at $22 billion USD. As businesses become increasingly aware of the potential of this growing market, they have realized the unique needs of this diverse community.”

Schuurman continued: “In response, the CLGCC created the Rainbow Registered accreditation program, Canada’s first national standard for safe and inclusive spaces for the LGBT+ community. This program, in addition to a number of our development and training resources for the LGBT+ community, are available to help create a lasting legacy of inclusivity for LGBT+ visitors, customers and employees throughout the country.”