Lesbians and gay men are a dream market for the tourism industry. 94.1% of the 6,700+ U.S. 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).

65% of respondents are gay men, 28% are lesbians, and the remaining 7% identify as bisexual, transgender, queer or intersex. The median age of respondents is 46.

Survey results will be presented at Community Marketing’s 8th International Conference on Gay & Lesbian Tourism, December 2-5, 2007, in Fort Lauderdale.