New Research Reveals the Behavior of LGBTQ+ Travelers

New research from MMGY Global indicates that LGBTQ+ travelers still hold their safety and local politics as top concerns when picking a destination, revealing that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

MMGY Global, a leading integrated marketing firm specializing in the travel, hospitality, and entertainment industries, released these findings in a new report entitled: Portrait of LGBTQ+ Travelers in America. The report synthesizes a comprehensive study launched by the organization to determine the travel behaviors, sentiments, and attitudes specific to our community. The research sampled more than 3,000 American LGBTQ+ travelers and was devised with input from a steering committee of professionals from LGBTQ+ organizations focused on travel, tourism, and empowerment of the LGBTQ+ community. 

Not a big surprise, but one of the key takeaways from the study is that representation in destination marketing materials are “very/extremely important” to us, with 43% of respondents saying it would make them feel more confident that the destination is inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. The report also advised travel marketers to be aware of additional concerns that we have that influence our decision to travel to a destination, such as:

• Half of the subjects said that the safety of a destination is a concern when deciding where to go.

• Fifty-two percent of respondents indicating state politics related to their LGBTQ+ identity greatly impact their decision to travel.

• Thirty-nine percent of respondents said that any negative perceptions locals and other tourists may have of the LGBTQ+ community make them uncomfortable and impact the destinations they choose. (Additionally, 33% said these perceptions impact how they present themselves while traveling to a destination.)

The following are additional key findings from MMGY Global’s Portrait of LGBTQ+ Travelers in America:

Demographics

• American LGBTQ+ travelers are on average younger, are more likely to be employed, and have a lower household income than the average U.S. traveler. The average age of an American LGBTQ+ traveler is 39, compared to 49 for U.S. travelers.

• More than 60% of U.S. LGBTQ+ travelers fall within the Millennial or Gen Z generations.

Trip Planning and Spending

• LGBTQ+ travelers are more likely to travel solo and less likely to travel in pairs than other Americans, with 50% of LGBTQ+ respondents saying they travel solo and only 33% noting they travel in pairs. This can be compared to only 40% of U.S. travelers going solo and 40% traveling in pairs. However, a nearly equal percentage of both groups report traveling with children (12% of LGBTQ+ travelers and 14% of U.S. travelers.

• On average, U.S. LGBTQ+ travel parties spent $461 on each vacation in 2021 – slightly more than U.S. travel parties ($455). 

• LGBTQ+ travelers are most motivated by the desire to unwind, relax and explore new places, with more than 8 in 10 respondents citing these as the main motivators for them to travel. Four in 10 are motivated by specific LGBTQ+ events and attractions.

• Hotels are the accommodation of choice for U.S. LGBTQ+ overnight travelers (47%), but at a significantly lower percentage than U.S. overnight travelers (55%). Another 23% of U.S. LGBTQ+ overnight travelers stay in non–paid accommodations, typically at the homes of friends/relatives. 

 So, it would appear that despite recent gains for our community such as The Respect for Marriage Act, safety and local politics still play heavily into our vacation planning decisions as a community, which makes sense given our history and experience as queer people. We also tend to travel alone and with the deliberate intent to relax and unwind, often to queer-specific events; all of which is valuable insight. Let’s hope that based on these findings that local tourism authorities around the US will take this information into account and start reaching out to us in genuine and meaningful ways.