The increasingly important and valuable lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) tourism market has just received a boost - as two market-leading destinations were announced as premier exhibitors with the Out Now Business Class LGBT Village at World Travel Market.

Europe’s largest LGBT media company has also been announced as an exhibitor.

The dedicated LGBT exhibition space is hosted by the world’s leading tourism networking association, Out Now Business Class - ONBC - which helps companies expand their reach and expertise to better cater for the lucrative LGBT tourism sector, which is currently valued at USD$181billion annual spend for 2013.

This year is the second year ONBC has hosted dedicated LGBT market exhibition space, and this year the space has been expanded and rebranded as the Out Now Business Class LGBT Village at WTM.

Exhibitors already signed in to exhibit at the ONBC LGBT Village include Mexico Tourism Board, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, Millivres Prowler - publishers of leading lesbian and gay media products DIVA and Gay Times, as well as Out Now Global, the world’s leading LGBT marketing specialist organisation.

Darren Cooper, senior consultant, Out Now, said: “There are now more airlines, tourism offices, hotel chains, tourist attractions and travel agents than ever before that want to be better connect with LGBT people as customers.

“We have been especially pleased to see that this year’s Out Now Business Class LGBT Village at WTM is appealing to new market entrants as well as experienced veterans alike, as both share the wish to make sure they connect with the key industry contacts for LGBT tourism development, as well as take back to their work the world’s-best standards of LGBT research data, staff training, communications tactics and strategic insights.

“ONBC delivers this in partnership with World Travel Market by hosting the official LGBT Village at WTM as well as presenting the Out Now Business Class LGBT Marketing Masterclass workshop.

“Catering for the LGBT tourism market is no longer seen as being ‘niche’ - it is now part of core business.”

Out Now Business Class is releasing a number of new initiatives including details of a new global consumer marketing channel, findings of the latest LGBT2020 research study - including new markets across Asia, new insights into the growing potential for gay honeymoons as well as a number of case studies and best-in-class examples.

ONBC has stated that its key objective in its partnership with WTM is to make sure the tourism industry obtains the very best insights and marketing opportunities to better cater for the needs of the increasingly important global LGBT tourism market.