WTM2012

LGBT travel market potential reaches global record according to new data from Out Now Business Class
- Europe outspends US market
- Indian market is growing powerhouse for LGBT tourism spending

LONDON, UK - NOVEMBER 7, 2012 - (WTM/OUTNOW) -- New research released at the World Travel Market today (November 7 2012) reveals that the global potential value of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) leisure travel market is set to reach a record USD$181 billion in 2013.

The findings are based on the LGBT2020 research program from leading global LGBT marketing specialist Out Now Global which measures consumer spend, purchasing habits and brand preferences across 22 countries.

The new data shows a 9.7 per cent year on year growth in the LGBT travel market, up from USD$165 billion in 2012, despite the on-going volatile economic climate, uneven recovery from the global financial crisis and the ongoing Eurozone crisis.

The USA market tops the league at USD$52.3 billion, followed by Brazil (USD$22.9 billion) and Japan (USD$18.5 billion). Europe is a more important LGBT market than the USA with the total value of the eight most important markets in Europe being significantly larger than the US market (USD$58.3 billion) and Latin America's most important three markets account for an additionalUSD$36.0 billion).



RANK RANK PER CAPITA RANK PER CAPITA
COUNTRY
POPULATION VALUE USD$ ANNUAL SPEND

USD$ billion



USA 52.3 1 1 $3,472 2
BRAZIL 22.9 2 2 $2,583 12
JAPAN 18.5 3 3 $2,799 9
MEXICO 9.2 4 7 $1,847 15
GERMANY 12.1 5 4 $2,858 8
TURKEY 5.1 6 12 $1,447 16
FRANCE 10.2 7 5 $3,186 6
UNITED KINGDOM 9.7 8 6 $3,112 7
ITALY 8.5 9 8 $2,667 10
SPAIN 6.2 10 9 $2,593 11
ARGENTINA 3.9 11 13 $2,060 13
POLAND 3.8 12 14 $1,931 14
CANADA 6 13 10 $3,454 3
AUSTRALIA 5.6 14 11 $5,183 1
NETHERLANDS 2.7 15 15 $3,248 5
ISRAEL 1.1 16 16 $3,297 4
INDIA* (ONLY 5.1%) 3.2 - - $1,245 17

All data copyright 2013 Out Now - this data can be referred to but must correctly be cited as "Out Now Global LBGT2020 Study" and if referred to online article/item MUST also link back to /lgbt2020

www.OutNowConsulting.com - India data weighted to reflect internet prevalence.

Announcing the figures, Out Now Global CEO Ian Johnson said: "A number of different factors continue to drive growth in this sector. Many LGBT people have grown up experiencing things a bit tougher than most, so a difficult economy, and working to keep things moving in tough times, including our travel plans, is part of the modus operandi for many of us.

"Like many people, LGBT consumers are finding the cost of living tough and some are working two or more jobs to keep things together, but with dramatically fewer households with children, travel remains a viable option for more LGBT travellers and one that is still within their household budget.

"The LGBT community's resilience is matched by an expansion of product options which are tailored to meet LGBT needs. Today, there are more and more destinations, hotels and tour operators all catering for the particular needs of our market and that makes travel a very desirable leisure pursuit for all those who can afford it."

Turkey and Israel are added to the LGBT 2020 survey for the first time this year. The new Turkey research data shows that this new market accounts for more than USD$5.1 billion in annual tourism spending. Israel adds another USD$1.1 billion to the annual value of LGBT tourism spending globally.

"Having identified a remarkably resilient potential customer base for 2013, now is the time for industry operators to really step up a gear and work to strengthen their market position," says Ian Johnson. "To facilitate this process in a cost effective and genuine way, Out Now has developed a suite of new services to help the industry make that important step change."

The initiatives include Out Now Business Class http://www.outnowbusinessclass.com a new B2B association, which offers a premium suite of research, education and training resources to help operators grow their business in the LGBT market through access to the latest key market intelligence, customer trends, blended learning and marketing strategies.

The platform incorporates Out Now's existing industry-leading customer service training component, which has been built to address various issues and concerns LGBT people have when they travel.  The Out Now Business Class networking association is open to hotels, tour operators, travel agents, destinations, airlines, CVBs, media and other business wanting to engage and do better business with the LGBT market.

Two new consumer-facing initiatives were also announced today which are OutNow.travel www.OutNow.travel - a global certification program awarded to hotels, destinations, travel agents and tour operators undertaking ONBC training.

"OutNow.travel is the consumer's mark of confidence so, for the first time, they can relax and be comfortable to be themselves on holiday, knowing that the business they are choosing to travel with has invested in training its staff to better understand how to welcome LGBT guests and to provide staff who 'get it'," says Johnson.

The second consumer initiative offers operators unique access to the growing OutNow.travel consumer database, which now numbers almost 60,000 consumers in more than 20 markets worldwide, who are keen to receive the latest LGBT travel deals, offers and specials via OutNow.travel newsletters direct to their inbox.

MANDATORY DATA CREDIT: Data can be reported on freely by media with full citation as follows: "Data source: Out Now Business Class Global LGBT Travel Report - 2013 www.OutNowConsulting.com ". Data must not be used at any time by any other marketing company or other agency except with express written permission from Out Now.

About the Out Now Global LGBT2020 study
The world's first global LGBT research study is underway in 12 languages across 23 countries across the world including Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, UK, USA and Uruguay. Total sample size is almost 100,000 respondents.

www.LGBT2020.com
www.BetterLGBT.com
www.OutNowConsulting.com

In Turkey Out Now partnered with Communiwit to work on the research.


About Out Now
Out Now develops LGBT marketing solutions utilising a range of strategies including gay and lesbian market research, LGBT niche media, online internet activities, tailored gay and lesbian advertising, targeted LGBT and mainstream public relations as well as below-the-line marketing activities to develop, and implement, integrated strategies for clients that deliver highly successful results. Out Now clients include IBM, Toyota, Lufthansa, German National Tourist Office, Switzerland Tourism, Turespaña and Hilton Hotels. In 1992, Out Now celebrates 20 years of market leadership in developing business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing relationships with LGBT people. The company undertakes the world's largest LGBT market research program LGBT2020 www.LGBT2020.com which has sampled to date almost 100,000 LGBT people living in more than 20 countries worldwide.


www.outnowconsulting.com
www.BetterLGBT.com
www.OutNowBusinessClass.com

 


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World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend four-day business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry.

Almost 48,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press, embark on ExCeL - London every November to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends at WTM.

WTM, now in its 33rd year, is the event where the travel industry conducts and concludes its deals.

WTM 2011 will generate £1,653 million of travel industry contracts, revealed independent research by Fusion Communications.

WTM is owned by the world's leading events organiser Reed Exhibitions (RE), which organises a portfolio of other travel industry events including Arabian Travel Market and International Luxury Travel Market.

In 2010, RE held more than 460 events in 36 countries bringing together more than seven million people from around the world generating billions of dollars in business.

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