It’s well known that LGBT travelers are a high-value consumer group. The 19th annual LGBT Tourism Survey from Community Marketing, Inc. reported a 9 percent increase in LGBT travel in 2014, with similar gains predicted for 2015. Research from Out Now Business Class, a travel networking association, places annual LGBT travel spending at more than $200 billion.
Industry attention to this market is clear at major conferences and trade events. At the 2015 LGBT Confex, Mexico’s largest LGBT tourism and business gathering, major hospitality brands such as Marriott International and tourism officials from Mexico and the United States participated. The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association’s annual convention has attracted sponsors including Delta Air Lines, South African Airways, Hyatt and Hilton, along with destination promoters such as the tourism offices for Las Vegas, Atlanta and South Africa, the host for the 2016 convention.
Ongoing research helps destinations and travel companies better understand the evolving LGBT market. ONBC’s LGBT2020 report ranked New York City, Sydney and Amsterdam among the top city choices for LGBT travelers in 2015, while the United States, France and Australia emerged as the most popular countries overall.
To expand their share of the market, many organizations are focusing on diversity within the LGBT community. The acronym LGBT includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, encompassing varied backgrounds, ages, incomes and travel preferences. At LGBT Confex in Mérida, Mexico, Richard Gray, LGBT managing director for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, shared findings from a survey of 700 transgender travelers as part of a targeted campaign. “It is our goal to make Fort Lauderdale the No. 1 destination of choice for transgender travelers,” Gray said, noting that Fort Lauderdale hosted Southern Comfort, the nation’s largest transgender conference, in 2015.
As the market continues to grow, travel providers are increasingly tailoring products, marketing and services to meet the specific needs of LGBT travelers, from inclusive hospitality training to targeted events and partnerships that recognize the diversity of the community. This focus helps destinations and brands build trust, improve visitor experiences and capture a larger share of an expanding and economically significant segment.