The LGBTQ+ sector is a major growth area for the travel industry – recently one travel start up dedicated to high-end holidays for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples reportedly turned over £1m in their first three months of business. Reed Exhibitions, the leading global events organiser, has chosen London to host their inaugural ‘Proud Experiences LGBTQ+ Travel Expo’.
‘Proud Experiences’ will be the world’s first dedicated LGBTQ+ travel show to support the estimated $202bn burgeoning, high growth and resilient market. Next June, Reed Exhibitions will create a community of like-minded professionals from every corner of the globe who are both pre-qualified hosted buyers and travel suppliers to do business. The event model will provide a diary of meetings pre-selected by both suppliers and buyers resulting in appointments that both have requested, leading to real business opportunities.
The 3-day international B2B event will be staged at the iconic Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea, London from 6-8 th June 2018 and will kick off with a high-powered conference addressing the major issues affecting the sector. International speakers will be invited to take to the stage to address topics including: the economics and value of LGBTQ+ tourism, LGBTQ+ rights and the dangers of travelling to some countries; the importance of Pride and Circuit parties to the sector; the rise of the Millennial traveller, and the growth of LGBTQ+ weddings and honeymoons.
Proud Experiences will also support an in-depth programme of 10 ‘LGBTQ+ Master Classes’ for buyers to attend learning about good business practice, and open their minds on everything from: understanding the transgender traveller; to China as an emerging LGBTQ+ market; marketing to the LGBTQ+ customer with lessons from consumer brands; as well as best practice in servicing the LGBTQ+ client.
International travel brands already committed to taking part include: Intercontinental Hotel Group, Peninsula Hotels, Conrad and Waldorf Astoria, The Curtain, Corinthia Hotels, Principal Hotels, Grand Hotel Lake Tremezzo and Small Luxury Hotels of the World.