Transparent methodology, honest data caveats, and everything you need to decide how much to trust what you see.
OutsiderMap shows you how welcoming a city is likely to be for people like you — filtered by your identity, age group, and life circumstances. Generic travel guides ignore who you actually are. We don't.
Every marker on the map represents a city scored on cultural friction: how much extra resistance, stares, hostility, or outright danger a person from a specific demographic group might encounter compared to the local majority. Lower is more welcoming.
Don't see your city? Search for it in the map's search bar and click Suggest "[city name]" to submit a request. We review suggestions regularly and add cities based on community demand.
The friction rating
When users submit a review, they rate their personal experience in a city on a 1–5 cultural friction scale: 1 means virtually no friction (you blended in, felt safe, were treated normally), and 5 means significant hostility, harassment, or legal risk. Each review is tagged with the demographic identities that were relevant to that experience.
From rating to Outsider Score (0–100)
When you activate identity filters, OutsiderMap finds all data for a city tagged with your selected identities and averages their friction values. That average is then mapped to a 0–100 score. 0 = maximally welcoming, 100 = maximally hostile. If you select multiple tags (e.g. LGBTQ+ and Christian), each tag's average is computed separately and then blended.
Score bands
Current state: AI-estimated seed data
OutsiderMap launched with AI-generated baseline data (Google Gemini) trained on publicly available news, travel reports, legal frameworks, and community accounts. These estimates give new visitors something useful immediately, but they are not substitutes for lived experience. Every AI-estimated city card is labeled "Estimated data — not yet verified by the community."
Future state: community-verified reviews
As real users submit reviews from personal experience, AI estimates are supplemented and eventually replaced. The review form asks you to describe which aspect of your identity was relevant, rate your friction level, and optionally add a note. Only authenticated users can review, but reviews are anonymous.
Reviews and filters are organized into 6 categories covering 28 identity tags. Within each category, tags are mutually exclusive — a review reflects one primary identity per category.
Race & Ethnicity
Gender & Sexuality
Religion
Age & Life Stage
Accessibility & Diet
Language & Travel Style
AI estimates can be wrong. They reflect general patterns, not individual experiences, local nuance, or recent events. A city's situation can change faster than the data.
Low review counts mean low confidence. A score based on 3 reviews is far less reliable than one based on 300. Always check the review count shown in the city card.
Data has no timestamp yet. Political or social situations can shift rapidly — a 'welcoming' score may reflect conditions from a year ago.
Intersectionality is simplified. Being LGBTQ+ and a person of color simultaneously involves compounding dynamics that a single tag average cannot capture.
Coverage is uneven. Cities with large expat communities or high English-language travel discourse are over-represented. Rural areas and smaller cities have less data.
Are scores based on real user experiences?
Not yet — all current scores are AI-estimated seed data. We're transparent about this with the 'Estimated data' label on every city card. Community reviews are just getting started. As they accumulate, they'll supplement and replace the AI baseline.
How do I submit a review?
Click any city on the map to open its card, then tap '+ Add yours' at the bottom. You'll need a free account to submit.
Can I trust a city with a score of 5%?
With caution. A very low score means the AI estimates (or reviews, if present) suggest low friction — but always cross-reference with current news, local LGBTQ+ or diaspora organizations, and your own research before making travel decisions.
Why isn't my city on the map?
OutsiderMap currently covers around 180 cities. We're adding more regularly. If your city is missing, search for it in the map's search bar and click 'Suggest [city name]' — we review suggestions regularly and add cities based on demand.
Who built this?
OutsiderMap is an independent project. It is not affiliated with any government body, tourism board, or advocacy organization. It is built by a solo developer who travels and wanted a tool like this to exist.
How do I report incorrect data?
Incorrect data is expected at this stage. As the community submits real reviews, errors will correct themselves. A formal reporting mechanism is on the roadmap.
Is this tool meant to discourage travel to certain places?
No. OutsiderMap is meant to help people make informed decisions, not to rank countries or cities as 'bad'. A high friction score for one demographic might be a low score for another. The goal is personalized context, not a verdict.