Why the Tourism Industry Should Pay Attention to These LGBTQ+ Survey Results
As the travel industry speculates how long it will take for it to bounce back to the multi-billion dollar cash cow it once was before COVID-19, new surveys show that the LGBTQ+ community is ready to travel. In a recent International LGBTQ+ Travel Association survey, two-thirds (66%) of the respondents said they would feel comfortable traveling again for leisure before the end of 2020, with September and October ranking as the most popular months to travel.
The IGLTA surveyed the LGBTQ+ community, which included 15,000 travelers from around the world responded. The largest representation of participants was from the United States, Brazil, Canada, France and Mexico.
“Previous studies have shown our community to be a resilient and loyal travel segment with a tendency to travel more than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts,” said John Tanzella, IGLTA President and CEO. And it’s these loyal travelers that will help the travel industry slowly recover from the devastating impact of the pandemic.
What number of overnight vacation trips are you likely to take for the remainder of 2020?
The Wanderlust is Real
It’s no surprise that extended lockdown and social-distancing measures have fueled travelers’ passion to travel again. According to a Community Marketing & Insights (CMI) survey, “COVID-19 and LGBTQ Travel in 2020,” 69% of all participants indicated extreme or moderate “pent-up” desire to travel again for a vacation.
In May, CMI conducted a 7-minute survey to understand the planning process of active LGBTQ+ leisure travelers. The pool of participants included more than 1800 self-identified members of the LGBTQ+ community, representing travelers from all 50 states in the U.S.
Wanderlust isn’t the only factor that will determine if people travel this year. With more than 40 million people out of work, some consumers will have little or no disposable income to spend on luxury items, which includes travel. COVID-19 has financially impacted the LGBTQ community. In fact, 49% of CMI survey participants indicated that the pandemic had a negative financial impact on their lives.
“LGBTQ community members may have less income/savings for leisure travel this summer, and price-point may be especially important to encourage travel,” said Thomas Roth, CMI President. And that means that travelers will be looking for alternatives to trips that require air travel or a multi-day vacation on a cruise.
For the remainder of 2020, which types of destinations will you travel for vacation?
Road Trips and the Great Outdoors
What clearly stands out among CMI’s findings is that LGBTQ+ travelers are more inclined to take a road trip this summer compared to previous years. The strong interest in road trip vacations is primarily because people are not yet comfortable traveling by airplane.
For the near future, LGBTQ+ travelers feel safest and most comfortable when it comes to travel experiences and or activities in outdoor spaces and without crowds. So, cities may need to reposition their messages for the short-term to focus on outdoor attractions, urban parks, architecture and neighborhoods. And even though several LGBTQ+-event based tourism (such as Pride) usually happen in outdoor venues, leisure travelers aren’t willing to take the risk especially without a cure for the virus.
Hotels
A major part of any trip-planning process is determining where you’ll stay overnight. The recent uptick in RV sales and rentals is a clear indication that some travelers are still not comfortable staying at a hotel. Only 10% of survey participants indicated feeling “very” safe and comfortable, but if the decision is made to stay in a hotel, more than 60% of the LGBTQ+ travelers say the will take additional precautions when visiting a hotel. That includes practicing social distancing from other guests, wearing a mask, practicing social distancing from hotel staff, checking the hotel’s website for COVID-19 safety polices, and bringing disinfecting cleaners for further cleaning.
Travelers willing to take short-haul flight in the next 6 months
Air Travel and Cruises
Earlier this year, the Coronavirus quickly impacted cruise lines. Several ships were stranded out at sea because they were not granted permission to dock at regular ports of call. For passengers that meant several weeks of self-quarantine in their cabin. So, it’s no surprise that 44% of the LGBTQ+ participants in the CMI survey said “no” to booking a cruise for this year; however, they could possibly book one in the future.
How does air travel rate in the LGBTQ+ community? Well, due to the crowds that passengers are confronted with at airports and on airplanes, LGBTQ+ participants in a recent Passport magazine travel survey – with more than 5,000 respondents – shows that longer haul flights are not even an option. In fact, 74% of their subscribers were “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to take a short-haul (three hours or less) flight, but only half of the respondents were willing to take a flight more than three hours long.
The overall take-away from these surveys are that the LGBTQ+ community is cautiously chomping at the bit travel again. IGLTA President and CEO John Tanzella believes that their survey sends a strong message that the tourism industry should not ignore. “We wanted document their sentiments during this particularly challenging moment in time to remind the tourism industry at large that LGBTQ+ travelers should be a valued part of their recovery plans,” said Tanzella. “Messages of inclusion have the potential to resonate even more strongly with LGBTQ+ travelers now.”
