Specialist LGBTQ+ travel PR agency KOG launches

Former journalists Gordon Smith and Krystin Arneson have launched KOG, a specialist agency aimed at building relationships between the LGBTQ+ community and tourism destinations and organisations.

KOG will operate on a project, rather than on retainer basis, to help global tourism boards and travel-related businesses establish and optimise their LGBTQ+ strategy. It will help organisations with consulting, creative content production, PR, media relations and additional services such as social-media workshops.

The agency will operate from hubs in Scotland and Germany, with Smith managing its Glasgow office and Arneson overseeing operations in Berlin. The pair will combine their journalism experience with previous PR and comms account directorships for global brands such as Qatar Airways, Visit Finland and Aer Lingus.

Smith said: “Although there are many markets around the world that have made huge progress in recent years, the need for our specialist skills and expertise has never been stronger. There are too many tourism boards and travel businesses providing lacklustre LGBTQ+ content — if any at all.

“At KOG we’re trying to do something a little different by re-imagining what LGBTQ+ creative materials and communications can and should look like.”

Arneson added: “Gordon and I firmly believe that travel is a right and not a privilege — so it must be accessible, welcoming, and inclusive for all.”