Figuring out how to increase travel industry sales to LGBT people is the focus of a key education event being held at next month’s WTM London – the event where Ideas Arrive.
For nearly two decades, one of the most important market opportunities for the travel industry has been the increasingly visible group of people who include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) travellers. They make up the LGBT market and account for an annual travel spend of more than USD$211 billion, according to Out Now Global LGBT2030 Study.
WTM London has partnered for 15 years with one of the industry leaders – Out Now, an LGBT specialist responsible for many of the world’s leading LGBT marketing campaigns as well as industry-leading research and educational training on how to best understand and meet the needs of this important group.
Next month’s WTM London (Monday 5 – Wednesday 7 November) sees Out Now present an agenda-setting program of education which will speak with industry leaders, present case study examples of best practice and reveal what the latest LGBT2030 data has to tell us about the directions of this valuable market in 2019 – and beyond.
Hosted by Out Now Chief Executive Officer, Ian Johnson – the one hour LGBT Masterclass at WTM London reveals latest LGBT2030 market research including:
- How do platforms like AirBnB and TripAdvisor impact the market for accommodation?
- What attractions / events resonate most strongly to attract travellers to specific destination?
- How can providers educate teams to deliver quality of service in line with LGBT consumer needs – and which staff training topics matter most to positively impact on customer service – and sales?
- Which destinations are most popular with LGBT people – and why?
- Latest updated data on how much LGBT people spend on travel each year
The LGBT Masterclass has become a must-attend event for key decision-makers from across the world in the tourism industry wanting to gain the insights needed to succeed with a competitive edge.
“Each year Out Now challenges ourselves to look at what’s next, by presenting the information the travel industry needs to know to take advantage of opportunities through better understanding the LGBT travel market needs of next year – and beyond,” said Johnson. “We bring a consistent focus on presenting ‘what’s next’ in the industry and we are delighted this year to highlight best practice from two outstanding case study examples showing how to ‘do better’ in LGBT travel development. Switzerland Tourism and Emerald Waterways join us this year and they each bring compelling insights that will inform and benefit those attending the Masterclass. We are delighted to be able to bring travel businesses of all shapes and sizes valuable information and practical tools which they can take away to increase their own sales from the valuable LGBT tourism market.”
Join industry leaders in the pre-eminent LGBT education event at WTM, the Out Now LGBT Masterclass. For the fifteenth consecutive year, Out Now presents extensive leading-edge industry insights, with a strong focus on delivering practical take-outs able to be successfully implemented into LGBT travel marketing strategies.
This powerful education workshop includes the latest LGBT2030 market research data and a powerful panel discussion with the world’s leading experts’ insights on successfully attracting, retaining and expanding LGBT travel market outcomes.
Industry leading case studies
Joining a panel discussion are Urs Eberhard, Deputy Director of Switzerland Tourism and David Winterton, Global Brand Curator for Emerald Waterways.
“Switzerland Tourism has long been proud of our work to welcome our LGBT guests,” says Eberhard. “We appreciate and respect greatly all those who choose to visit us to discover what makes so many people love telling others about their first time visiting our beautiful country. It is our pleasure to be able to participate in Out Now’s LGBT Masterclass at WTM London, to help us all better understand how to meet the needs of LGBT people, wherever they live in the world.”
The LGBT Masterclass will discuss the most important trends, how the market continues to evolve – and key factors that will drive the market in 2019 including: training, destination, leisure preferences, travel agents, OTAs, cruises and more. The workshop will consider how Generation Z is already starting to redefine ways the travel industry needs to approach LGBT travel as well as what “LGBT+” means and how understanding gender identity and sexual orientation issues are increasingly likely to impact on the travel industry.
Johnson said attendees can expect to leave this Masterclass having gained valuable trend information and highly actionable take-outs, to help them see clearly how their own business is able to better connect with LGBT customers.
“We will also be providing details of exciting new initiatives that allow businesses of any size to more effectively target LGBT customers,” Johnson said.
“By attending, you will better understand how you can best ‘join the dots’, from the consumer to your own business – by focusing on what motivates travel decisions by LGBT people and understanding the key trends driving LGBT travel decisions in 2019 – and beyond.”
The LGBT Masterclass by Out Now is at WTM London on 6 November 2018, 12:15 – 13:15 in Platinum Suite 3.