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
About World Travel Market
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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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