GALTA (Gay and Lesbian Tourism Australia), the leading voice of the tourism industry focusing on LGBT tourism needs, has declared a cooperative initiative with Out Now – the organisation behind the world’s leading global LGBT tourism network, forging a strategic reciprocal alliance with ONBC – Out Now Business Class. This trade networking association possesses above 900 industry members globally and an additional 1,400 global hotel members.
The growth in global tourism undertaken by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people has seen a rise in the value to more than USD$200 billion annual spending.
The new association will give GALTA members complimentary 12 months membership with ONBC – including unlimited online staff training utilising the OutNow.travel online staff training certification program. Additionally, ONBC members enjoy one-click connections to key tourism industry decision-makers globally interested in the development of LGBT tourism. Members training staff in ONBC also become certified members of OutNow.travel – a dedicated consumer portal letting gay consumers the option of selecting truly “LGBT/Gay-Welcoming” properties offering high standards of welcome and service to the LGBT market.
Recent research by the Out Now Global LGBT2020 Study values the global annual tourism spend at USD$202 billion for 2014, with Australian LGBT travellers accounting for just over USD$6 billion of the global total. Last year in Australia, the LGBT2020 study reveals that the average LGBT person spent over USD$5,000 on travel.
GALTA is confident of the significant potential to mature international inbound gay tourism to Australia even further during the next 24 months with government assistance, with this new ONBC union plus other GALTA initiatives during 2014.
