9th International Conference on Gay & Lesbian Tourism
October 5-8, 2008
Sheraton Wall Centre
Vancouver, BC

The "must-attend" educational & networking opportunity for Government Tourism Offices, CVBs, Destination Management Companies, Accommodations, Meeting Planners and Suppliers. Join colleagues from Australia to Berlin, from Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver. Learn from your peers about sales and marketing opportunities in gay & lesbian independent travel, meetings and events.

Downloads / Links:

9th International Conference on Gay & Lesbian Tourism Registration Form (pdf)

Reserve a Room in Vancouver at the Special Conference Rate

Preliminary Conference Agenda(pdf)

Updated Travel Info(pdf)

Endorsements

This conference is a must do for both the new and the experienced (not old) marketers in this fantastic community. It will guide you and help steer you away from marketing blunders with live case studies and examples of doing it right and not so right. Regardless if you are there for Marketing 101 or to learn the tools of the trade from knowledgeable experts sharing their experiences in the breakouts, this conference will help build your confidence, your ability and most important your rolodex! See you in Vancouver!

George Carrancho
National Sales and Marketing Manager for LGBT Community, American Airlines

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There is no better opportunity to learn and meet others in the travel industry with the same LGBT marketing goals. Community Marketing does a great job of providing new educational content in an ever-changing environment and providing access to representatives from the top companies in travel and hospitality.

Scott Seed
Resort Marketing, Hyatt Hotels Corporation

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Community Marketing has been a catalyst for the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. Participating in CMI's International Conference on Gay & Lesbian Tourism has increased my awareness and has allowed me to network, develop partnerships, and find new business. This conference is one that we attend annually, and one that I refer all my colleagues in the industry to attend and become engaged.

Veronica Torres
Director of Diversity and Community Relations, Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau

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CMI's International Conference on Gay & Lesbian Tourism is one of the best opportunities that CVBs, suppliers and media have to all come together to dialog on trends surrounding gay and lesbian consumers. This conference is exceptional in addressing the buying patterns and changing media involved in the LGBT audience. If you want approaches to researching, planning and booking travel, you should not miss this conference. The opportunity to meet with colleagues focused on this category, and to hear first hand what they are doing to address this niche, is priceless to us. We find the sessions invaluable and the breakouts are not to be missed.

Jim Walsh
Regional Sales Manager, Travelocity

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I always enjoy Community Marketing's International Conference on Gay & Lesbian Tourism. I look forward each year to reuniting with past participants as well as meeting the attendees new to the gay & lesbian tourism community. The programs offered are diverse, educational and appeal to each aspect of the tourism industry. The variety of industry services and niches represented in the attendees has allowed for unexpected partnerships to form. Overall, attending each year has proven successful for EIS.

Katy Radoll
Business Development Manager, European Incoming Services

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CMI's 8th International Conference on Gay & Lesbian Tourism in Fort Lauderdale was the best educational event I have ever attended. This was our first time and we are already planning to attend next year's Conference in Vancouver. The seminars were incredibly informative and it was great to network with my CVB peers.

John Cohen
Executive Director, Durango Area Tourism Office

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Additional Endorsements

Our 2008 Conference will be Carbon Neutral thanks to

Community Marketing, Inc., in recognition of the important leadership role the travel industry is taking on in the fight against global warming, partnered with NativeEnergy Travel Offsets to reduce the impact of our 2007 Conference in Fort Lauderdale, and has again partnered with NativeEnergy to reduce impacts of our 2008 Conference in Vancouver, BC. The offsets that we purchase will finance and build new clean and renewable energy projects. These projects will displace electricity from fossil fuels and reduce other greenhouse gas emissions, making up for the CO2 emissions that can't be avoided. NativeEnergy's unique future offsets model leads many of the country's best known environmentally and socially responsible businesses, organizations, bands, films and events to choose NativeEnergy, including Al Gore's movie and book An Inconvenient Truth, seeing their purchases having a direct impact in financing new projects that replace fossil fuel burning with clean energy in the United States. NativeEnergy will offset attendees' air travel to the 2008 Conference, their lodging in the Vancouver area, and meals, as well as the usage of Conference Space at the Sheraton Wall Centre. When you travel to other conferences and events, NativeEnergy invites you to consider offsetting your travel. Please visit their website at www.nativeenergy.com/NETO.