LGBT tourism

Gay tourism or LGBT tourism is a form of tourism marketed to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. People might be open about their sexual orientation and gender identity at times, but less so in areas known for violence against LGBT people.

The main components of LGBT tourism is for destinations, accommodations, and travel services wishing to attract LGBT tourists; people looking to travel to LGBT-friendly destinations; people wanting travel with other LGBT people when traveling regardless of the destination; and LGBT travelers who are mainly concerned with cultural and safety issues. The slang term gaycation has come to imply a version of a vacation that includes a pronounced aspect of LGBT culture, either in the journey or destination. The LGBT tourism industry includes destinations (tourism offices and CVBs), travel agents, accommodations and hotel groups, tour companies, cruise lines, and travel advertising and promotions companies who market these destinations to the gay community. Coinciding with the increased visibility of LGBT people raising children in the 1990s, an increase in family-friendly LGBT tourism has emerged in the 2000s, for instance R Family Vacations which includes activities and entertainment geared towards couples including same-sex weddings. R Family's first cruise was held aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines's Norwegian Dawn with 1600 passengers including 600 children.

Major companies in the travel industry have become aware of the substantial money (also known as the "pink dollar" or "pink pound") generated by this marketing niche and have made it a point to align themselves with the gay community and gay tourism campaigns. According to a 2000 Travel University report, 10% of international tourists were gay and lesbian, accounting for more than 70 million arrivals worldwide. This market segment is expected to continue to grow as a result of ongoing acceptance of LGBT people and changing attitudes towards sexual and gender minorities. Outside larger companies, LGBT tourists are offered other traditional tourism tools, such as hospitality networks of LGBT individuals who offer each other hospitality during their travels and even home swaps where people live in each other's homes. Also available worldwide are social groups for resident and visiting gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender expatriates and friends.

LGBT travel destinations

Gay travel destinations are popular because they usually have permissive or liberal attitudes towards gays, provides infrastructure friendly to LGBT travelers (bars, businesses, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, entertainment, media, organizations, etc.), the opportunity to socialize.

Gay travel destinations are often large cities, and can coincide with the existence of gay neighborhoods. These neighborhoods often work actively to develop their reputations as safe and fun for LGBT folks to travel to.

According to GayTravel.com (in 2019) the top gay-friendly destinations in the world are:

1. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico;

2. New York City, USA;

3. Tel Aviv, Israel;

4. San Francisco, USA;

5. London, England;

6. Bangkok, Thailand;

7. Miami, USA;

8. Amsterdam, Netherlands;

9. Madrid, Spain;

10. Berlin, Germany.

The LGBT tourism industry represents an estimated annual US $65 billion on gay travel in the USA alone, according In Europe, the gay tourism market has been estimated at €50 billion per year by the Gay European Tourism Association. The adult LGBT community in the USA has a total economic spending power of more than $600 billion per year, according to Wietck Combs. Some governments tend to highlight this for foreign visitors, like the official US website that promotes historic New York places in Greenwich Village, such as Stonewall Inn or Eve's Hangout, that are iconic spots for Europeans.

Philadelphia was the first destination in the world to create and air a television commercial specifically geared towards practitioners of gay tourism. Philadelphia was also the first destination to commission a research study aimed at a specific destination to learn about gay travel to a specific city.

LGBT events

According to GayTravel.com the top ten best gay pride events are:

• Sydney Mardi Gras

• Amsterdam’s Canal Parade

• Berlin Pride

• Buenos Aires gay pride event

• San Francisco Pride Celebration

• London’s Pride Festival

• New York City Pride

• Madrid Pride

• Montreal

• Pensacola Memorial Day Weekend.

The Lesbian and Gay City Festival in Berlin started in 1993 and about 450,000 – 500,000 people attend every year.

A few more to note: These are the largest but in unique categories, the first is the largest “unofficial gay pride event”, the second is the largest free gay pride event, and the third is the largest small town gay pride event:

Gay Days at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This is held the first weekend in June and is one of the biggest unofficial gay pride events in the world. Since Gay Days started, about 150,000 people attend this six-day event that includes “17 pool parties, a business expo, a comic-book convention, a film festival, an after-hours trip to a Disney water park (think dance music and guys in very small swimsuits), bobble-head painting, and tie-dying for the kids, rivers of alcohol for the adults, and on June 5th the great culmination: 20,000 to 30,000 lesbians, gays, and their families and friends descending on Disney World, everyone clad in red shirts to signify their presence. (Cloud)”

Seattle Pride in Seattle, Washington. It's held the last weekend of June, and it is the largest free pride festival in the country. It includes the Capitol Hill Pride Festival that has outdoor stages, a Kids Zone that has family entertainment until 6pm- events after 6pm are 21 and over. Then on Sunday is the Gay Pride Parade that goes through downtown Seattle and ends at a larger festival at the Seattle Center. It includes “4 stages, world-class entertainment, action and advocacy for the LGBT community, and thousands of vendors.

East-Central Minnesota Pride in Pine City, Minnesota. It's held the first weekend in June and, in 2005, it was the first small town gay pride in the United States. It has endured despite protests from conservative Christians, and it bills itself as "Minnesota's Small Town Gay Pride!", pulling people in from across east-central Minnesota and beyond.