Destinations known | Why Asia needs to do more to welcome LGBT tourists – the rewards are far from just financial
With LGBT+ travel reported to be US$200 billion annually, LGBT-friendly policies make business sense - ahead of the curve, unsurprisingly, is Thailand
The 10th annual Gay Games came to a close on August 12 in Paris, France. Next stop: Hong Kong, which, in 2022, will become the first Asian destination to welcome the world’s “largest sporting and cultural event led by LGBT athletes, artists, and musicians”. However, that will not be Hong Kong’s only “first” as host city. It will, unless the situation changes, be the first city to host the Gay Games without having legal recognition for same-sex unions.
Activists hope that the event’s profile – not to mention the significant financial clout of the pink dollar – will demonstrate the value of being an LGBT-friendly destination and spur policy change, not just in Hong Kong but across the region, where LGBT tourism remains a largely untapped industry.
Editor-in-chief of Out There magazine, Uwern Jong, told travel industry publication TTG Asia, “The total global value of LGTB+ travel is reported at US$200 billion; it grows at an average of 8 per cent year-on-year when mainstream travel grows at just 3.8 per cent. LGBT+ people made an estimated 81 million journeys [in 2017].”
Jong added that LGBT people tend to earn more than their straight counterparts and spend more on travel.
Blazing the trail for LGBT acceptance in Asia is Thailand, which has long been heralded for its tolerance by travellers of all stripes. Speaking at the inaugural LGBT+ Travel Symposium: Thailand, held in Bangkok in June, deputy governor for international marketing at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Srisuda Wanapinyosak, said: “Our aim is to see exponential growth in Thailand as a LGBT+ destination, and we hope to be a model for this segment.