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 Travel & Outdoors | December 2006 
Wealthy Gays Choosier About Vacation Spots
 U.S. Newswire
| | Wealthy gays travel more, spend more and cruise more than other gays and lesbians. |
Gay men and lesbians travel more than their mainstream counterparts, and those with higher incomes travel even more frequently, especially for leisure purposes, according to a recently released research study by Community Marketing, Inc. (CMI). Those with household incomes of over $100,000 took a median of 8 overnight trips, and those with household incomes exceeding $250,000 took a median of 11 trips in the last year. This is significantly higher than the 5 overnight trips taken last year by the median US lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) respondent. Respondents with household incomes of $250,000+ indicate they prefer places that are restful, luxury oriented, and either mostly LGBT or exclusively gay.
Higher income respondents traveled widely, both domestically and internationally. The top destinations visited for leisure in the last year are: New York, London, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Los Angeles and Ft. Lauderdale. The destinations showing the highest number of expected visitors among all higher income respondents for leisure travel in the next year are: New York, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. However, those with household incomes of $250,000+ show a stronger preference for visiting Hawaii, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, than the median US LGBT respondent.
Gay men and lesbians are prepared to travel internationally. 71 percent of US survey respondents, and 90 percent of higher income respondents hold a valid passport. Only 2 percent of respondents with household incomes in excess of $250,000 said they do not have a passport. European destinations show growing interest among higher income gays and lesbians. The United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain and Germany show the largest number of expected high-income visitors in the next twelve months. The United Kingdom and France are of even more interest to those with household incomes of $250,000+.
Though Puerto Vallarta and Puerto Rico remain strong, higher income respondents show increased interest in visiting South America, while interest in the Caribbean appears to be waning among these travelers. Gays and lesbians may be growing tired of visiting these island nations that are often not portrayed as gay friendly. (Curaηao and Puerto Rico are the only Caribbean destinations with active LGBT outreach.) Higher income respondents also indicate strong interest in seeing new places, and show particular interest in visiting South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, China and Thailand.
27 percent of higher-income respondents took a cruise vacation in the last twelve months, compared to 18 percent of the U.S. full-field of LGBT respondents. In addition, 29 percent of the higher income respondents who took a cruise vacation in the last year took more than one cruise during the year.
The median amount spent per day for travel increases along with income. Respondents with household incomes exceeding $250,000 spent an average of $470 per day; those with household incomes of over $100,000 spent $320; and the full-field of US respondents at all income levels spent $210 per day. The median length of trips (4 nights) was the same for all three groups. These higher income respondents traveled by plane for 62 percent of their overnight trips, and spent 24 nights in hotels during the last year.
Demographics of Higher Income Gay Men and Lesbians:
Household Income: The median household income of all respondents for "11th Annual Gay & Lesbian Travel Survey" is $79,000. This report, however, only considered the 36 percent who reported household incomes of $100,000 or more.
Median Age: 46, with 70 percent between the ages of 37 and 56.
Residence: 92 percent of respondents live in the United States, and over 50 percent of those reside in just four states: California, New York, Florida, and Texas. 35 percent of U.S. household with incomes of $100,000 or more reside in those four states.
Education: Higher incomes correlate with more education. 44 percent of those with household incomes of over $100,000, and 57 percent those with household incomes of over $250,000, have a masters or doctorate degree.
Employment Status: Higher income respondents were somewhat more likely to be self-employed than the full-field of US respondents and somewhat less likely to be retired.
Relationship Status: Respondents with higher household incomes are much more likely to be in relationships and living together and much less likely to be single than the full-field of US respondents. 7 percent have children under age 18 living at home with them.
These findings are derived from Community Marketing's "11th Annual Gay & Lesbian Travel Survey." This comprehensive tourism research report is based on a sample size of 2,474 responses who have household incomes of $100,000 or more are from a survey conducted in August 2006 of more than 7,500 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender respondents. The "11th Annual Gay & Lesbian Travel Survey" includes top LGBT destinations, information on travel spending by gay travelers; the travel preferences and motivations of gay and lesbian travelers; comparisons within the "gay market" such as gay men vs. lesbians, age, income, nationality and trend forecasts. It is based on eleven years of consistent LGBT travel market monitoring.
For more information about LGBT travelers, please visit: communitymarketinginc.com |
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