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Trust & Sources

We want to make sure hosts and participants are well informed about locations and activities they are considering. Gatherlight pulls data from a short list of sources we trust, prioritizing primary, authoritative publishers (governments, treaty bodies, and major datasets). When we show a requirement or warning, we also show where it came from and when we retrieved it, because rules and conditions change.

Safety, advisories, and health context

Safety guidance varies by traveler profile and can shift with events.

We reference:


  • National travel advisories (e.g., US/UK/Canada/Australia/NZ)
  • Public health authorities (when relevant) for outbreaks, vaccines, and health notices
  • Women, Peace, and Security Index 2023/24 (Georgetown Institute) — country-level women's safety indicators including community safety percentages

We use this to highlight considerations and inform destination recommendations.

Accessibility & disability considerations

Accessibility varies drastically between cities—and even between neighborhoods and venues. When we can, we surface both:


  • Legal/policy signals — rights frameworks and protections
  • Practical, on-the-ground signals — wheelchair access, step-free entrances, accessible transit/POIs

Accessibility data is often incomplete. We'll show what we found, link sources, and encourage double-checking with venues and local resources.

LGBTQ+ safety & legal context

Laws and protections vary widely by country and sometimes by region. When a group flags LGBTQ+ safety as a consideration, we automatically exclude destinations where homosexuality is criminalized or carries severe penalties.


We reference globally used datasets, including:


  • Spartacus Gay Travel Index 2024 — country rankings based on legal situation, prosecution, marriage rights, and social climate. We use this as a primary source for criminalization data and overall safety tiers.
  • ILGA-Europe Rainbow Index 2024 — detailed scoring of European countries on LGBTI equality laws and policies (0-100%)
  • ILGA World resources — global legal context and regional notes

Hard constraints: We will never recommend destinations where homosexuality is criminalized or carries the death penalty when LGBTQ+ safety is flagged as a group consideration.

Travel entry & visa considerations

Entry requirements depend on your passport(s), residency, trip length, and purpose of travel—and they can change quickly. When recommending destinations, we consider whether all group members can actually enter the country.


We account for:


  • Passport restrictions — Some passports are denied entry to certain countries entirely (e.g., Israeli passports in some Middle Eastern countries, or complex sanctions-related restrictions)
  • Visa requirements — We note when participants have existing visas for destinations, and flag when visas would be required or difficult to obtain
  • Residence permits — UAE, Schengen, or other residence permits that may ease entry

When available, we summarize from:


  • IATA Travel Centre — airline-grade entry rules and document checks
  • Official government and embassy sites — visa policy, eVisa portals, entry forms
  • National travel advisory services — practical entry updates and alerts

Always confirm critical details on the official source before booking.

Weather

Weather can make or break a meetup. We use:


  • Official meteorological services for current forecasts and alerts
  • Climate normals (when available) for seasonal expectations

How AI fits in

Gatherlight uses AI to help:


  • Combine multiple inputs from your group, anonymously
  • Analyze travel constraints (budgets, origins, visa requirements, safety considerations)
  • Generate destination recommendations that balance fairness across the group
  • Estimate typical flight and accommodation costs for your travel dates

We use OpenAI's GPT models for destination recommendations. The AI is provided with:


  • Anonymized group preferences (origins, budgets, activities, dates)
  • Relevant safety datasets when considerations are flagged (see sections above)
  • Clear constraints about what should and shouldn't be recommended

AI is used as a research and recommendation tool, not as a final authority. The captain always makes the final decision. We show the AI's reasoning and any trade-offs so you can make informed choices.

Our philosophy

We believe:


  • Transparency builds trust
  • Nuance matters
  • People make better decisions when information is accessible and clearly sourced

Gatherlight exists to make it easier for people to come together—not to replace personal judgment or official guidance.