Lesbians and gay men are a dream market for the tourism industry. 94.1% of the 6,700+ survey respondents to Community Marketing's 12th Annual LGBT Tourism Study stayed in a hotel at least one night in the last twelve months, with the median respondent staying 14 nights in hotels during that period. A hotel’s reputations for gay-friendliness was cited as the top influence for choosing a hotel, followed by location near tourist attractions, location near a gay neighborhood, and free high-speed internet access.
77% of respondents said they shop for hotels and book online, while 29% said they book accommodations by phone or in person through a travel agent or directly with the supplier.
As found in Community Marketing’s recent Gay Consumer Index™ and Lesbian Consumer Index™ studies, lesbians and gay men notice companies that advertise in the LGBT media, and are more likely to purchase products and services from those companies.
86% of respondents took at least one flight (up slightly from 2006) with a median of six flights in the last 12 months. 81% said they shop and book their flights online.
34.3% of respondents said they took at least one cruise in the last three years, with 62% of respondents reporting interest in cruise travel. According to Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), only 34% of their “target” market has ever taken a cruise. Only 17% took a cruise vacation in the last three years, less than half of the gay traveler comparison. CLIA’s target market is 25 years or older with a household income of $40,000 or more. “Clearly, the cruise industry should be taking a closer look at the gay and lesbian markets,” commented Thomas Roth, president of Community Marketing.
Other key findings from the study include gay and lesbian interest in:
- adventure travel (41.8%)
- spa vacations (36.1%)
- educational tours (31.6%)
- culinary trips (29.7%)
- eco-travel (26.2%)
- casinos (22.8%)
25% attended a Gay Pride celebration where they stayed overnight, making it one of the most prominent “gay motivators” for taking a trip.
76% of respondents have a valid passport (more than double the mainstream percentage).
The median age of respondents is 46.
65% are gay men, 28% are lesbians, and the remaining 7% identify as bisexual, transgender, queer or intersex.
Study: 77 percent of gays book travel online; 42 percent prefer ...
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