World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, is to ask gay and lesbian holidaymakers how they want the travel industry to market to them.

The gay and lesbian customer panel forms part of the Gay Marketing Masterclass seminar, organised and hosted by G&L marketing consultancy Out Now, and is the first time the industry has sought the views of G&L customers at a trade event.

The G&L market is growing in importance during the current worldwide financial downturn, as it�s more resilient during these tough economic times than the heterosexual market.

US research shows that while many heterosexual travellers are planning to cut back on their travel spend, more than half of gay consumers (55%) plan to spend as much on travel this year as they did in 2008*, while 7% are looking to spend more in 2009 than last year*.

Out Now Founder and Chief Executive Ian Johnson, who is chairing the 90 minute masterclass, said: �The travel industry can struggle when it comes to marketing to the G&L community.

�The G&L market is even more important to the travel industry than it ever was before as it has a more resilient appetite for travel, meaning the industry cannot afford to get its G&L marketing strategy wrong.

�Gay customers really are the greatest experts of all when it comes to designing gay marketing strategies that work. That's why this year Out Now is bringing the opinions of gay travellers themselves into the discussion at WTM,� Johnson added.

"In hearing their opinions, discovering relevant motivators and unlocking the key travel concerns of gay and lesbians customers themselves during this innovative seminar, those attending will discover a wealth of practical information able to be profitably applied to the development of their own lesbian and gay marketing strategies during 2010 and beyond.�

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* Source: Witeck Combs/Harris Interactive

About World Travel Market World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend four-day business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. Almost 50,000 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, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2009, is the event where the travel industry conducts and concludes its deals. 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. RE holds more than 500 events in 38 countries throughout Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific covering 47 industry sectors including aerospace & aviation, healthcare, manufacturing and sport & recreation. In 2008 RE, part of the Reed Elsevier group, brought together more than six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business.

About Out Now

Out Now is a team of specialised marketers with high levels of expertise in understanding gay and lesbian customers. Established in 1992, we help companies achieve better results in the gay and lesbian market. In 2001 the firm opened its first European office - Out Now Consulting - in Amsterdam servicing clients in Britain and Europe, and the firm now has consultants servicing markets across the world. Our work in this highly specialised area for more than a decade means that we are now the world's most experienced specialists in marketing to lesbian and gay customers.

We believe that there is no such thing as a "typical" gay or lesbian person. Diversity is the key to understanding this market. 'Homosexual' does not equate with 'homogenous'.

We maintain at all times the highest standards of professionalism, ethics and respect in all our operations and dealings with the lesbian and gay communities.

More information visit http://www.outnowconsulting.com