LGBT tourism services eyed for growth prospects

The spending power and keen interest in travel by those in China's well-heeled LGBT community are attracting growing attention from tourism startups and investors.

Wang Zhao, CEO and co-founder of GLOW Travel, an acronym for Gays and Lesbians On the Way, had been a travel consultant for years when his gay friends said he should be providing services tailored for people like them.

In November 2014, Wang organized a trip for a group of 11 gay travelers to the island of Bali, Indonesia. Its success confirmed his decision to start a company focusing exclusively on such services for China's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.