LGBT couples have fewer children than other groups and higher-than-average salaries, meaning plenty of disposable cash. Their nominal income is around $113 billion annually, the firm estimates. India is home to more than 55 million LGBT adults, according to Out Now Consulting, a marketing agency that helps businesses target gay and lesbian consumers. 'The value of the pink economy and the social aspects of the LGBT community are too large now for us to ignore,' added Suri, executive director of the Lalit hotel group. 'There is business to be done, real estate to be bought and sold, holidays and all the services that go with that. 'It can bring billions of dollars to the Indian economy if they can activate the spending of gay people in India,' Keshav Suri, a hotelier and petitioner in the landmark case, told AFP.
Now the community can expect to see businesses lining up to offer a range of tailored products, in fashion, health and other industries, providing a massive boost to Asia's third-biggest economy. The Supreme Court's historic decision last week to scrap a colonial-era ban on gay sex sparked joy as activists held rainbow-coloured celebrations across the country. From LGBT nightclubs to 'gaycations' and more, a court ruling legalising homosexuality in India is set to unlock one of the world's largest 'pink economies', experts say.
