Mr. Guaracino

Diversity Issues

New Research in Gay Travel

By Jeff Guaracino, Vice President, Communications, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp

For 14 years, Community Marketing has been collecting and analyzing data on gay travelers. Community Marketing acknowledges that its research is based upon self-identified gay travelers and has limitations. However, no other organization knows more about gay travel research than CMI. In October 2006, Community Marketing Incorporated released its 11th Annual Gay and Lesbian Tourism Profile 2006. Community Marketing based its data and conclusions on 7,500 self-identified gay and lesbian consumers who belong to gay mailing lists, subscribe to gay publications, visit gay web sites or in some way elect to take a gay travel survey.

Safety, progressive politics (such as gay marriage) and even immigration (policies that don't discriminate against gay people) all play a factor in travel decisions. The latest research found that among gay travelers the top seven U.S. destinations are New York City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles-West Hollywood, Palm Springs, Ft. Lauderdale and Chicago. The top seven European cities are London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Florence and Venice ties with Berlin.

Here is Community Marketing's methodology for this latest study:

"During August 2006, Community Marketing, Inc. conducted an online survey of openly-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults. The goal for this study was to survey LGBT consumers regarding their travel habits and motivators, and to provide data and insight to the gay and lesbian tourism industry. With a sample size of 6,721, the margin of error is 1.2% at a 95% confidence interval. Respondents to this survey are subscribers to various Internet and print media, and therefore represent lesbians and gay men who can be reached using the media.

Community Marketing has developed its survey pool over the last eleven years by partnering with leading media companies includingGay.com, PlanetOut.com, GayWired.com, LesbiaNation.com, Gay Travel News, Passport, Curve,Instinct, HX, Genre, and others. Subscribers to various email lists received an invitation to take a gay/lesbian travel survey; however, no attempt was made to pre-qualify the invitations to survey only people who travel. The incentive offered to respondents to complete the survey was one chance out of all respondents to win a $500 gift card. This methodology polls LGBT consumers who represent the target audience of gays and lesbians who can be reached using print and the Internet. We make no attempt in this survey to define the size of the LGBT population, nor to invade the privacy of our respondents by asking them to "out" themselves in a random survey, which as demonstrated in the 2000 U.S. Census, grossly underestimates the size of the gay population. It should be kept in mind that the findings derive from those who identify openly as gay and subscribe lesbian and gay publications and websites. These results should not necessarily be extrapolated to the entire gay and lesbian population; however, these findings do provide guidance regarding the perceptions and opinions of "out" gay travelers who can be reached through gay websites and publications."

The following gay and lesbian travel demographics come directly from the CMI 2006 study:

The CMI 2006 gay travel statistics:

Hotels and the gay traveler

Community Marketing reports that 97% US respondents spent at least one night away from home in the last twelve months. The CMI survey revealed that gay travelers spend on average 29 nights away from home, a median of six nights per trip.

What factors influence a gay and lesbian traveler when they choose a hotel? 44% told Community Marketing that Internet access at their hotel was one of considerations in their hotel selection. Location is also important to gay and lesbian travelers with 36% indicating that they prefer accommodations near the gay neighborhood. Food, fitness and relaxation are also important attributes to many lesbians and gay men when they stay in a hotel. A pool (35%), restaurant (28%), gym (25%), and room service (26%) are considered somewhat important. A "gay-knowledgeable" concierge was important to 22%, gay-marketed packages to 20%, and "TAG Approved" to 20%.

Surprise, Gay Travelers Prefer Straight Cruises

Gay travel on straight cruises represents big business. Data within the 11th Annual Gay & Lesbian Travel Profile reveals a big surprise: gay and lesbian travelers prefer straight cruise vacations and they cruise more frequently than heterosexuals. Of the more than 4,500 qualified responses, 65% of lesbians and gay men who took a cruise vacation in the last year have traveled on a mainstream (non-gay) cruise. The survey also shows that 15% of gay travelers on straight cruises said they were part of an organized gay group. 21% of this survey's US respondents took a mainstream cruise, 10% took a gay charter cruise and 4% traveled with a gay group aboard a mainstream cruise. More than three-quarters of those surveyed said that the itinerary influenced their decision to take a cruise (77%). Other factors in choosing a cruise vacation were:

"There is huge sales opportunity for cruise lines and travel agents to sell cabins on straight cruises to gay travelers," said Tom Roth. "However, there is a challenge implied in the data. It's not just about advertising. In order to gain market share among the lucrative gay market, cruise lines must take active steps to ensure that their product is genuinely gay-friendly."

Online buying behavior

At least 81% of US respondents purchased travel components on the Internet in the last twelve months. 81% of all US respondents purchased airline tickets online, 80% purchased accommodations online, 65% rented a car using the Internet and 76% of those who took a cruise in the last 12 months indicated that they purchased at least one cruise online.

Gay travelers are booking more on line than their straight counterparts. According to the Travel Industry of America research report, "Travelers' Use of the Internet" (2005), just 30% of the adult U.S. population used the Internet and made travel reservations/bookings online. Among the traveling adult U.S. population that number rose to 43%, but well short of the gay average.

Finally, advertising to the gay and lesbian market is profitable. 74% of the respondents indicated that they are more likely to visit destinations where the government tourist office has a marketing campaign aimed at lesbians and gay men. Surprisingly, 37% said they will even "reward" destinations who advertise as gay-friendly by spending more money when they visit and 33% said they would stay longer.

To order a free copy of this report, call Community Marketing at or visit their Web site at www.communitymarketinginc.com

Jeff Guaracino is VP of communications for the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC). He manages national and regional communications, the visiting journalist program, content development and corporate communications. Jeff specializes in communications programs to African-American, Hispanic, Canadian and gay and lesbian travelers. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building. Mr. Guaracino can be contacted at 215-599-2290 or jeff@gptmc.com Extended Bio...

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