Vienna, along with a handful of other European cities, has shifted their tourism-related focal points to a burgeoning market: the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) traveler.
Austria's capital has released a review of what they call the gay and lesbian tourism strategy this month, which aims to focus on tourists with interests in history, music and art-and cash to spend.
The review was based on a study that found LGBT travelers had an average monthly net income of about $500 more than other tourists coming to Vienna.
LGBT vacationing is said to rise nearly 10 percent in 2013, totaling to about $181 billion, according to an LGBT Travel Report by Out Now Global, a marketing company specializing in studies of gay and lesbian movements.
Marketing analyst from the Vienna Tourists Board Clemens Koeltringer claims the group's aim is to ensnare consists of "high profile, luxury customers who go to the opera and enjoy very good food," he told Reuters.
"Vienna is not a Mykonos, it must not be," he said, with reference to the party-central location in Greece. "This is the main reason we are differentiating ourselves."
Bulgaria, Greece and Germany have also noted a spike in LGBT travel, and the economic boon these target markets will provide. The countries have been promoting gay-friendly events and attractions in efforts to ensnare the travelers.
VisitBerlin, a Germany-based travel site, has teamed up with participating hotels to launch the Pink Pillow Berlin Collection-a hotel network created especially for LGBT guests.
Bulgaria has also noticed a spike in LGBT visitors to the predominately gay area of Sunny Beach resort on the Black Sea, and has since launched a blog that gives travel tips and tour packages.
Austria hopes to be one of the leading LGBT destinations.
"Vienna is known and is world famous for music and culture," Koeltringer said. "And the gay and lesbian segments are not different in [enjoying] that."
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
