It's been escalating over the past 10 years and could be fueled even more by legalized marriage for gay men and lesbians. Now that Connecticut has joined California and Massachusetts in legalizing same-sex marriage, more honeymoon trips are expected all around the world.

"The opportunity for tourism is pretty staggering," said David Paisley of San Francisco-based Community Marketing, which has been researching gay and lesbian consumer preferences since 1992. "There are a huge number of people out there waiting."

Travel experts expect business to pick up, despite the economy, if Proposition 8 on the November ballot fails to approve a change in California's constitution to eliminate the right of gay men and lesbians to legally marry. Since the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage earlier this year, about 11,000 gay and lesbian couples statewide have taken the plunge.