WTM 2012 Expands LGBT offering

Ian Johnson

World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry and Out Now, the leading marketing organisation to reach LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) consumers are expanding their partnership including the unveiling of the world’s largest LGBT research programme.

In 2012, there willbe a combination of options for those seeking to reach the LGBT tourism consumer market – and to network with other businesses globally in a new B2B initiative to be showcased by Out Now at WTM.

Out Now will once again present its industry-leading LGBT Marketing Master class, releasing the latest tourism findings from the world’s largest LGBT market research program -LGBT2020 – at the WTM education workshop, including the first ever LGBT tourism research data for a number of new markets – including Israel, South Korea and Turkey.

One of the confirmed panel members is Ruben Sandoval the CEO of LGBT Confex – Latin America’s leading conference and events organizer. LGBT Confex are convenors of the 2nd International Expo & Business LGBT event in Cancun Mexico(http://www.MexicoExpoLGBT.com ).  Sandoval said he is pleased to bring regional expert insights into the WTM workshop.

“Latin America is home to several of the fastest growing economies in the world, ” Mr Sandoval said. “As we track the immense LGBT market growth in the region, we are looking forward to sharing with delegates at London WTM what trends we are seeing right across Latin America.”

Out Now CEO, IanJohnson, added: “Out Now and WTM have grown a strong relationship with asingle focus – delivering best-in-class marketing insights to the global tourism industry, and I am delighted we are partnering for the sixth year in 2012.”

As 2012 marks the20th anniversary of the founding of Out Now, Johnson said part of this year’s education workshop is dedicated to highlighting some of the greatest success stories of LGBT marketing over that time.

Johnson also tookthe opportunity to announce the launch of a new B2B membership-based initiative, which is specifically designed to help the tourism industry network more effectively throughout the entire year – and around the world.

Out Now BusinessClass (http://www.BetterLGBT.com ) is a new online marketing platform that allows members to network, educate to increase their understanding about meeting the consumer needs of LGBT people worldwide. Membership applications are open to those who meet a specific set of criteria focused upon LGBT marketing development.

Johnson said. “The LGBT travel market has advanced in major ways during the past 20 years, but the organisational structures that serve the industry have advanced little, ” Johnson said.

Furthermore, Out Now Business Class is also planning to host a dedicated LGBT floor space at WTM 2012 branded ‘Out Now Business Class at WTM’.

Visit Berlin as well as Helsinki City Tourist & Convention Bureau have confirmed participation.

Marketing Manager Hanna Muoniovaara said:  “In a competitive and challenging economic environment it has been critical to Helsinki’s continuing success in tourism market development that we build smart strategic partnerships.”

“Out NowBusiness Class is a well-designed and highly effective way for us to strengthenour trade relationships to continue expanding our sales in the LGBTmarket.”

WTM Chairman FionaJeffery welcomed the new LGBT market initiatives at WTM 2012.

“World Travel Market and Out Now enjoy a strong partnership that is singly focused upon helping the tourism industry develop the many opportunities presented by the global LGBT market, “ Jeffery said.

“With the new Out Now Business Class initiatives we are confident of strengthening the leadership role that we have been able to deliver to the industry for more than half a decade now. LGBT tourism remains one of the key growth sectors for travel and with the help of Out Now we are looking forward very much to continuing to deliver world-classLGBT marketing solutions to meet the B2B needs of the global tourism industry.”

Out Now BusinessClass at WTM in 2012 will include a high-profile education workshop to takeplace at 11am on Wednesday November 7. The display space initiative is on-salenow and details for exhibiting are available from contacting Out Now http://www.OutNowConsulting.com and info@outnowconsulting.com .

About World Travel Market

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 2010 generated £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.

Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is the world’s leading provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry. Its wide-ranging portfolio of events around the globe covers leisure travel, luxury travel, business travel and the meetings and incentives industry.

The 13 events are; World Travel Market (WTM), Arabian Travel Market (ATM), International French Travel Market (IFTM), La Cumbre, International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), International Luxury Travel Market Asia (ILTMA), Asia-PacificIncentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) (owned by Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau), Global Exhibition for Incentive, Business Travel, and Meetings (EIBTM), Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (GIBTM), Americas Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (AIBTM), China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (CIBTM) and Business Travel Market.

2012 sees the launch of two exciting new events with The Spa & Wellness Summit taking place in Austria Tyrol (10-12 September) and ILTM Americas launching in Mayakoba, Mexico (1-3 October).

Furthermore, April 2013 will see RTE launch World Travel Market Latin America in São  Paulo, Brazil(23-25 April).

In 2011 RTE’s 13 events were the catalyst for £2, 807 million worth of travel and tourism business deals.

RTE is a business unit of Reed Exhibitions.

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading eventsorganizer, with over 500 events in 39 countries. In 2011 Reed brought togethersix million active event participants from around the world, generatingbillions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacificand Africa and organized by 33 fully staffedoffices. Reed Exhibitions serves 44 industry sectors with trade andconsumer events and is part of the Reed Elsevier Group plc, a world-leadingpublisher and information provider and a FTSE 100 company. www.reedexpo.com

ABOUT OUT NOW

Established in 1992, Out Now is the world’s leading LGBTmarketing organization and has for two decades been relied upon by many of theworld’s leading brands, organisations and tourism bodies for specializedgay and lesbian marketing insight and expertise. Services includeresearch, training, strategy and communications.

Out Now clients include IBM, Toyota, Citibank, German National Tourist Office, TUI, Lufthansa, BerlinTourism Marketing, Vienna Tourist Board, Visit Manchester, Stockholm Visitors Board and Lloyds TSB Banking Group.

More information is availableat http://www.BetterLGBTMarketing.com

and http://www.OutNowConsulting.com