LGBT online training for agents

Visit Helsinki, and Tourismus & Congress Frankfurt have become the first destination tourism offices to develop targeted training specifically for travel agents and tour operators aimed at increasing LGBT visitors to their cities. The deals were struck at World Travel Market 2012. Visit Helsinki was one of 12 companies that exhibited in the first-ever WTM LGBT Pavilion. The new training modules will be built and managed by Out Now Global, which organized the inaugural WTM LGBT Pavilion. It is the first time a specific LGBT-focused training content has been available to mainstream travel agents. The training modules will be launched early this year in partnership with WTM exhibitor OTT and TTG Knowledge, as part of an already comprehensive suite of training modules and courses. A general LGBT awareness training module is also being made available online at http://ott.travel/LGBT/home.aspx giving practical advice for agents to use when dealing with LGBT customers. The courses are being made available free of charge by Out Now Business Class (http://www.OutNowBusinessClass.com). The new destination specific e-learning courses will be free for all agents who have completed this initial course, and will be marketed and available to a global network of more than 60,000 travel trade professionals through OTT’s database. “This new initiative has the potential to expand the market reach for LGBT sales substantially,”said Ian Johnson, CEO and founder of Out Now. “Travel agents and tour operators now account for more than 30% of all LGBT sales in most markets globally, so by providing specialist training and relevant LGBT product information we are able to give our partner destinations a much enhanced competitive edge.”