about
A vertically integrated tourism group
We work every day to build smart, professional, sustainable, and inclusive tourism!
Sonders & Beach was founded in 2002 as a hotel facility management company by Alessio Virgili and Andrea Cosimi, a young Italian couple who shared both a life together and a passion for the travel and hospitality industry. In 2007, Alessio and Andrea searched for a travel agency that could offer guidance and support in choosing the safest and most welcoming destinations and accommodations for a gay couple. At the time, there were no openly gay-friendly travel agencies in Italy, and reliable information online was scarce. This experience led to the creation of Quiiky, the first Italian LGBTQ+ tour operator.
2002
In 2002, they founded their first company, which provided lifeguard and safety services to beach establishments along the Lazio coast. In 2004, they opened their headquarters in Milan and had the insight to begin offering outsourcing services to accommodation facilities. This marked the creation of the Outsourcing & Facility Management division.
2010
In 2010, Alessio and Andrea co-founded the Italian Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (AITGL) together with San Francisco Travel, Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, US Airways, and TTG Italia. That same year, Alessio was appointed President of AITGL and Italian Ambassador to IGLTA, roles he continues to hold today.
2011
In 2011, the couple launched Italy’s first LGBTQ+ travel and lifestyle magazine, QMagazine, and began working closely with national tourism boards, hotels, and travel agencies to help them reach the LGBTQ+ market. Well-known journalist Alessandro Cecchi Paone became the magazine’s ambassador.
Today, QMagazine is available in both digital and print editions and is distributed internationally.
2012
In 2012, the couple founded Italy’s first LGBTQ+ travel expo in Bergamo, which ran for more than seven years. In 2018, the event moved to Milan and became part of BIT Milano, where it continues today.
2017
In 2017, the company launched its inbound Untold History Tours, later featured in outlets such as The New York Times, the BBC, and Huffington Post. These include experiences such as “The Vatican Museums Tour in a Gay Light.”
2018
In 2018, Sonders & Beach coordinated a successful collaboration between the Municipality of Milan and the Italian National Tourist Board, with the support of the U.S. Consulate in Milan, leading to Milan’s winning bid to host the 2022 IGLTA Global Convention.
2021
In 2021, in collaboration with the Italian Association of LGBTQ+ Tourism (AITGL), the company developed a Diversity and Inclusion Protocol validated by the international certification body RINA.
In its first year alone, the protocol was adopted by Gruppo UNA Hotels, Leonardo Hotels, the Municipality of Milan, the Municipality of Crema, and ENIT – the Italian National Tourism Agency, among many others.
