Niche: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Directories

Mary C. | 15 June 2004 |

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Niche: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Directories

When New Paltz, New York’s mayor began issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples last Spring, there was more demand for accommodations than the small upstate town could handle. Howard and Betsy Mont, owners of A Sparrow Hawk Bed and Breakfast, in nearby Stone Ridge, were delighted to host some of the overflow.

Howard and Betsy, who have always welcomed gays to their inn, feel that this niche is an ideal pairing for the Bed and Breakfast industry. “I think B & B’s will experience more honeymoon weekends because of the creative, sensitive nature of this market”, said Howard. “B & B’s provide the refined, upscale environment they are looking for.”

Some of Sparrow Hawk’s honeymoon reservations came through Purple Roofs (www.purpleroofs.com), one of the oldest and most respected online guides to gay-friendly lodging. GBLT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) travel directories have exploded onto the internet in the past few years, and for good reason. According to Gay Travel (www.gaytravel.com), this segment of the population is generally affluent, self-indulgent and loyal and travels frequently. Many property owners find this is to be an ideal client base from which to draw.

To understand the buying power of this market, take a look at what some of the big players are doing. ORBITZ has a Gay Travel section (www.orbitz.com/App/GetDealsDetailsContent?deal_id=gaytravel&z=ealb&r=5g) and bids for the number 2 spot in Google Adwords for “gay friendly lodging” and for number 4 placement for “gay travel”. MSN has its own GBLT website, Planet Out Travel (www.planetout.com/travel ), which offers travel advice and destination guides, and lists lodging properties from Africa to Albuquerque.
Gayopolis Travel (www.gayopolis.com) is powered by Expedia. Although estimates as to the size of this market vary, all the experts measure it in the billions of dollars.

A recent query of Overture’s Search Term Suggestion Tool showed that more than 34,000 searches were made for “gay travel” in the previous month. There were also 13,304 searches made for ‘gay hotel”.

According to Purple Roofs, the GBLT Community seeks out “friendly” lodging because they want to spend their money where they are
openly welcomed and will be treated with the same level of respect that all guests receive.
Seven major US cities will host Gay and Lesbian World Travel Expos in 2004.

The market is there. If you want a piece of it, I recommend that you list your property in one of the many online directories that cater to this niche. Here are a few suggestions:

Purple Roofs (www.purpleroofs.com) offers property owners a free listing with a 60 word description and contact information. For $199 per year, receive a full page ad, with up to 5 photos and 500 words. They also offer a free listing in exchange for a useable newsletter submission. You can have your property featured in an upcoming newsletter (circulation 10,000 plus) in exchange for 2 nights lodging. Purple Roofs now has a section entitled Purple Unions, which specifically targets the same-sex marriage ceremony/honeymoon market. The homepage Google Ranking is 6 of 10.

GAYZOO (www.gayzoo.com) is a general directory with a search feature and offers an “Accommodations” section. Properties throughout the world are welcomed to submit a free listing with a link to their website. Homepage Google Rank 6 of 10.

QT Magazine (www.qtmagazine.com) is a classy, online “Gay and Lesbian Travel Magazine” packed with articles and information. It also offers free basic lodging listings. An enhanced listing with a link runs $95 and a premium listing is $295 per year. Google Page Rank is 5 of 10.

Gay Places 2 Stay (www.gayplaces2stay.com) offers complete travel services, including online booking. A listing costs from $100 to $200. The Google Page Rank is 5 of 10.

Nearly every major city, region and state has its own online GBLT guide. Simply type the state or city name into your search engine, followed by “gay travel”. Some examples are: www.vermontgaytravel.com/ , www.gayrockymountains.com/ . and www.outindenver.com/arts/travel.asp Look around - you’ll be amazed at what you find!