When Nakshatra Bagwe (or “Naks” for short) started making short films about queer life in India more than a decade ago he wasn’t thinking about travel advisors, destination education or brand partnerships. He was thinking about survival — about how to tell the truth in a country where queer people still navigate stigma, violence, invisibility and a maze of unequal rights.
Today, he’s become one of India’s most visible LGBTQ+ storytellers, with over 129,000 YouTube subscribers, more than 335,000 Instagram followers and the distinction of creating South Asia’s longest-running queer web series, “The Visitor.”
In a unique but logical evolution, luxury travel advisors are beginning to treat his work — and his expertise — as a distinct form of hyperlocal destination intelligence.
A Web Series as a Handbook for LGBTQ+ Travelers
At first glance, “The Visitor” is a narrative series about a gay travel magazine writer whose assignments take him through India’s vast and varied lands. But the premise is a literary sleight of hand, as the travelogue-type structure masks a deeper purpose.
Every episode is crafted by, with and for queer Indians — with cast, crew and creative direction all coming from the LGBTQ+ community in its filming locations. Each season is filmed in a different region, giving local queer talent visibility they seldomly receive, and showcasing the food, markets, festivals, traditions, micro-cultures and tensions that shape each destination.
What emerges is a blend of documentary insight through the stories of a marginalized community.
Travel advisors who serve LGBTQ+ clients will recognize the value immediately. Scenes depict safety norms, nightlife, Dos and Don’ts, culturally sensitive areas and situations queer Indians navigate daily.
Viewers see where it’s safe to walk, where local customs are rigid, where a traveler can move freely and where discretion might matter.
“It works like a handbook,” Bagwe told Luxury Travel Advisor during a video interview.
For example, a place shown on Season One — Kolhapur, a temple town known to few outside the state of Maharashtra — became a micro-destination among queer domestic travelers after the series aired.
Effectively, the series has become destination education delivered as lived experience.
A Mentor, a Mentee and a Movement
Bagwe’s path recently aligned with another name readers will recognize: Todd Tomlin, CEO & Founder of Memorii Journeys. Through the TUI Futureshapers Global Mentorship Program, run by the TUI Care Foundation and the IGLTA Foundation, Tomlin was paired with Bagwe as a mentor, helping him refine the project’s reach, sustainability and industry relevance.
For Tomlin, the partnership is straightforward: “His work already supports travelers. We’re helping raise visibility so more people can benefit from it.”
“The TUI Futureshapers Global – LGBTQIA+ Travel Innovators Program is a catalyst for change… empowering LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs in emerging destinations to build inclusive, thriving tourism businesses and create opportunities to transform their communities,” says IGLTA Foundation Coordinator and Program Manager Mohamed Amine Gabbouj.
“We are incredibly grateful to see how our community has embraced this program and look forward to seeing the impact on the greater tourism industry for years to come,” Gabbouj adds.
(Nakshatra Bagwe)
Season Five: Love, Devotion and a State Resistant to Change
The forthcoming fifth season, timed to the Holi festival and set to release March 4, 2026, pushes into new territory. Filmed across Vrindavan, Mathura and Agra in Uttar Pradesh, it highlights queer stories in one of India’s most religious, conservative and politically charged states.
Bollywood often packages queer characters in stereotypes, notes Bagwe. His does the opposite, often exploring themes that are rawer: drug abuse, workplace discrimination, hidden love, inter-caste pressures, the consequences of forced heterosexual marriages and the resilience found in friendship and chosen family.
Season Five also features a real-life same-sex couple who started a small business by running a food cart in a narrow Vrindavan lane, and who now own three carts. Their episode, Love in the Lanes, shows how survival, devotion, and ambition interlace in small-town India.
“Queer stories aren’t just important; they’re essential,” says Akshay Tyagi, DGM of Talent & DEI at Life at The LaLiT and a founding member of the Keshav Suri Foundation, an NGO in India launched by hotelier Keshav Suri to embrace, empower and mainstream the LGBTQ+ community.
“Projects like this remind the world to pay attention, listen closely and rethink old assumptions,” he emphasizes. “We’re excited to back creators who dare, who disrupt and who widen the lens. The world could use more of that.”
A Resource for Travel Advisors
Luxury travel advisors are always on the lookout for on-the-ground partners who understand the nuances of a destination through lived experiences, especially concerning marginalized communities.
Bagwe offers something rare. Not only is he a filmmaker and activist, but he’s also a tour operator and founder of The Backpack Travels, serving as a DMC-style specialist for advisors whose clients want culture-forward, identity-affirming travel to India.
“We thoroughly enjoyed the company as well as the professionalism,” remarks Mandar Purohit of Jungle Dekho, who collaborated with Bagwe on a wildlife tour. “We look forward to collaborating with Nakshatra and the community again on more luxury travel experiences to explore the incredible landscapes, wildlife and diversity of India.”
“We have taken LGBTQ travellers beyond typical tourist experiences, exploring agro tourism, untouched seashores, India’s rich wildlife, ancient heritage and cultural history,” says Bagwe. “Every journey is designed to build a strong sense of community, belonging, and connection far beyond the usual ideas associated with LGBTQ travel.”
In 2023, The Backpack Travels achieved a historic milestone when Bagwe became the first Indian to be awarded the IGLTA Foundation’s India Symposium Fellowship.
Looking Ahead
This week, Bagwe is entering the next phase by starting to fundraise and exploring production partnerships. Filming begins in January, and Season Five requires brand partners — hotels, DMCs, tourism boards, philanthropic foundations, lifestyle brands and travel companies who want to support authentic queer storytelling in South Asia.
Funded sponsorships are available, with options to contribute room nights, filming locations or production support.
For a global luxury industry that often speaks about diversity and inclusion, this is a real, tangible chance to demonstrate it.
Trade contact: Todd Tomlin, [email protected]
Or reach out directly to Naks via Instagram or LinkedIn
Jacques Ledbetter is a Luxury Travel Advisor contributor and founder of The Luxe Ledger newsletter.
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