ITB Berlin: Gay & Lesbian Travel section is booming

The Gay & Lesbian Travel Pavilion is becoming increasingly popular. Thus at this year’s event more than a dozen exhibitors will be presenting the latest trends and products in this market on a record display area covering 200 square metres in Hall 2.1a.

In 2012, in addition to the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA), which with its rainbow-coloured columns will form the central part of the pavilion, there will also be numerous new exhibitors at the show.

For the first time the Brazilian Tourist Board Embratur is represented in the Gay & Lesbian Travel section with its own stand, as is the tour operator Dertour, which at ITB Berlin is also presenting the first edition of its Gay Travel catalogue. Exhibitors from Greece, Mexico, Portugal and Poland will be celebrating their debut this year. 

One of the highlights of the pavilion will be the stylishly decorated Vienna Gay Café, where trade visitors and the general public can find out about gay-friendly Vienna and enjoy Viennese coffee specialities for free. What is more, on the Saturday of ITB the Queer Tango presentation on the stand of Argentina’s Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, which is making its third appearance, is certain to attract wide attention. Among those back at the show are TomOnTour, Spartacus and Jackwerth Verlag.

On Friday, 9 March a panel discussion entitled “Gay & Lesbian Tourism: Driver of Structural Change in Destinations?“ at the ITB Berlin Convention will provide valuable information on the cultural, social and economic  impact on a destination.

In 2012 ITB Berlin is expanding its activities in the Gay & Lesbian Travel segment. Having already held successful seminars, for example in New Delhi, ITB Berlin will be offering attractive information seminars on strategies for LGBT tourism with LGBT Consultant Diversity Tourism.Targeted customers such as destinations, tour operators, hotels and airlines can take advantage of the expertise and international networks of ITB Berlin and its partners and can learn how to firmly establish themselves in this market.