They want pink payments! Tourism industry is trying to attract more gay holidaymakers as they spend more and can travel during term time
- The travel industry is increasingly tailor-making holidays for gay tourists
- A new UN report says gay people are 'dynamic and influential in tourism sector'
- Madrid generated €150million from its annual gay-pride festivities last summer
The travel industry is increasingly tailor-making holidays for gay tourists, because they spend more than most other holidaymakers.
Tourism boards in countries including Spain have been spending thousands of pounds on marketing campaigns for the LGBT community in recent months.
The gay market is particularly attractive to travel companies because they spend more on trips and are more likely to travel all year round. Customers with families are tied down by school holidays.
People in the streets of Sitges in Spain last July celebrating Gay Pride. Tourism boards in countries like Spain have been spending thousands of pounds on marketing campaigns for the LGBT community in recent months
During the Fitur tourism fair in Madrid this month, noticeably more companies were plugging cultural attractions and nature activities to this market.
Spain's western region of Extremadura, for example, featured posters promoting annual gay pride festivities in the city of Badajoz, which began in response to homophobic comments made by a local politician.
But it also promoted bird watching trips, local architecture and rural tourism to gay and lesbian travellers at a special section of the fair dedicated to the market segment.
The goal is to appeal to the growing number of gay and lesbian couples who are having children, said Hugo Alonso of the Extremadura's tourism promotion agency at the fair.
Spain's western region of Extremadura (pictured) featured posters promoting annual gay pride festivities in the city of Badajoz at the Fitur tourism fair in Madrid this month
He said: 'We are interested in volume. Gay and lesbians make up around 10 percent of all tourists.'
But for most destinations, this segment is attractive because they travel all year round since and spend more.
Juan Pedro Tudeal, the director of Diversity Consulting International, a Spanish firm which advises firms targeting the gay and lesbian market, said: 'They have more disposable income since there are fewer couples with children.'
Thomas Bomkes of Diversity Tourism, a German consultancy, added that gay tourists spend 'even more when they know they're accepted'.
While it is difficult to estimate how much gay travellers spend, the United Nations World Tourism Organization said in a recent report that 'there is no denying' that they 'are a dynamic and influential segment within the tourism sector'.
Many companies are also hoping to appeal to the growing number of gay and lesbian couples who are having children (stock image)
The Spanish capital generated about 150million euros ($160million) from its annual gay-pride festivities last summer, which feature one of the world's biggest pride marches.
The windfall is expected to be even higher this year as Madrid will host World Pride in late June and early July.
Some three million people are expected to take part in the event and Spanish airline Iberia as well as several hotels have launched special offers in conjunction with the event.
Pride festivities are used by many Spanish coastal destinations to attract gay travellers outside of their high season.
The beach resort of Maspalomas, on Spain's Canary Islands, stages three pride events each year, which generate up to 20million euros each, said the organiser of the event, Fernando Ilarduya.
There has also been a boom in the number of cruises, vacation clubs and bungalows geared specifically at the gay market.
The beach resort of Maspalomas (pictured) on Spain's Canary Islands stages three pride events each year
'Certain details make the trip more enjoyable, like for example a hotel that does not provide separate beds to two women who book a room together,' said Marion Couturier of event management agency Hansen&Partner.
While destinations like Spain - which was one of the first nations to legalise gay marriage - Thailand and Bali are already well established as 'gay friendly', others are now seeking to follow their example.
At Fitur, Argentina's tourism board highlighted in its brochures that it was the first nation in Latin America to approve gay marriage, while Colombia promoted several destinations specifically for LBGT people.
Meanwhile, some firms have begun to focus exclusively on the lesbian segment, which is said to be 'booming' after initially lagging behind the gay male segment.
Sylvia Lacosta, who runs a travel agency in Tenerife that focuses on the lesbian market, said: 'Men prefer urban tourism, while women are looking for outdoor activities, culture, gastronomy.'
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