US Gay and lesbian hotel guests spend a mean 57 per cent more on their travels than their heterosexual counterparts. That’s the results of the most recent survey by Community Marketing Inc., a partner of ITB Berlin. Rika Jean-Francois, ITB Berlin’s CSR officer and member of the board of the International Gay & Travel Association (IGLTA) presented the findings on the ITB Berlin Convention and on the recently held strategy conference of Wien Tourismus in Vienna. Late last year, in a survey conducted within the USA by Community Marketing Inc., 5,700 interviewees were asked about their travel habits. Per the survey, it isn’t only hotels but entire destinations that get pleasure from LGBT travellers (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender).
Sunshine and relaxation the foremost reasons for holidaying
According to the survey, 40 per cent of gays and shut to a similar variety of lesbians within the USA said a destination’s degree of gay-friendliness was the principle factor influencing their number of destination. As regarded holiday needs 67 per cent of gays and 66 per cent of lesbian travellers said warm weather was their first requirement, followed by cultural attractions, beaches and cuisine. Greater than 50 per cent of the respondents said certainly one of their main holiday interests was relaxation. For 35 per cent of gays the second one-most vital aspect was visiting family and friends, while for 32 per cent of lesbian couples it was spending time with their partners. 33 per cent of gay and 30 per cent of lesbian respondents said the situation of a hotel significantly influenced their selection of destination. For 30 per cent of both groups the second one-most vital aspect was the pricetag.
LGBT travellers are comfortable using the web. When looking for travel information 59 per cent of lesbian and 54 per cent of gay travellers inside the US said they trusted the recommendations of friends and families, and then they preferred travel websites. 41 per cent of gay and 36 per cent of lesbian travellers said they responded to advertising that targeted LGBT audiences.
Commitment to LGBT travellers
Over decades, as a part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) concept, ITB Berlin has committed itself to supporting human rights in tourism, including tolerance and variety, and for instance is a committed member of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA). Exhibitors representing the LBGT market first took part within the world’s largest travel trade extravaganza in 2003. For the last three years lectures and discussions in this subject in addition to on LGBT travel topics was happening on the ITB Berlin Convention.
It has become among the many 15 officially recognised travel segments of the world’s largest travel trade exhibition and because then has witnessed constantly rising demand. Currently, ITB Berlin has the most important range of LGBT travel products and destinations of any tourism trade event on this planet. With its large Gay & Lesbian Travel Pavilion, the ITB TomOnTour Party and diverse other supporting LGBT events ITB Berlin has made a stand for tolerance and equal rights.
With its seminars on LGBT tourism in India in 2011, a knowledge stand at ITB Asia 2012 in Singapore, an LGBT information booth at ABAV 2013 in Rio de Janeiro and international seminars and symposiums world wide the ITB Academy can also be showing its support for dismantling taboos and the advance of this significant market segment worldwide. At ITB Berlin 2013 a strategic partnership between Wien Tourismus (Vienna Tourism) and ITB Berlin on LGBT Travel was agreed, in a bid to jointly support and extra its aims sooner or later.
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