FN ISI Export Format VR 1.0 PT J TI Gay and Lesbian Tourism in the 21st Century – Opportunities, Risks and Development of an Emerging Market AF Hanimann, Simon AU Hanimann, S AB Gay and lesbian tourism is not a new niche tourism product that was started by some marketing specialist. The first example of tourism that could be understood as specifically gay goes back to the Victorian period in the 19th Century. The reason why gay tourism exists is simple: gay and lesbian people often live in heterosexual milieus; therefore, they are attracted by vacations which give them the opportunity to express their sexual identity openly. Nowadays, this tourism market has become an important economic factor in the tourism industry, and therefore, many companies want to profit in this emerging market. Nevertheless, since social circumstances have changed the last years, it is important to analyse the gay community’s specific needs today. To research this topic, a survey among gay and lesbian people in Switzerland was offered. This Bachelor Thesis aims to demonstrate what gay tourism truly means, how the gay tourism market has developed in the past, and which opportunities and risks it might face in the future. This paper is linked with the Kuoni brand Pink Cloud, the only travel agency in Switzerland that specializes completely in the gay tourism market. ER