LGBT Travel Spells Opportunity for Travel Agents

As more states legalize gay marriages—and more LGBT couples celebrate weddings and honeymoons—there is a growing need for quality information and services to help travel agents target this niche market, says Out Now CEO Ian Johnson.  

Speaking at Travel Market Report’s REAL Travel Experience show in Mexico last week, Johnson noted that the LGBT market comprises 6% of all adults. As a whole, the LGBT honeymoon and weddings segment of the travel market tends to travel during off-peak seasons, and to focus on great value and unique experiences.

But the first step is to focus not on how they are different from other couples, but how they are like them, Johnson said. “LGBT as an acronym too easily disguises the fact that each of those letters represents millions of sons, daughters, uncles, aunts, sisters, brothers, fathers, mothers, friends, and work colleagues who make up the global group of people who are LGBT. Remembering that ‘LGBT spells people’ is key to building better understanding and connections with this group of people as a potential market for your business.” 

Even though the LGBT market is largely upscale, its number-one priority is value, and it largely understands and appreciates the role a good travel counselor can play.  

The number-two concern is simply, “Will I feel welcomed when I travel?”— and that’s a question travel agents can help them answer.  

He noted that “consumers are increasingly choosing to vacation in places that have equal rights and laws for their local LGBT communities, and LGBT consumers are voting with their wallets and preferencing those places that treat LGBT equal to all other people.” 

To gain a better understanding of the LGBT market and the destinations and suppliers with whom they are a good fit, travel agents can become OutNowCertified LGBT specialists through a new Travel Market Report LGBT certification program, which will be available in the second quarter of 2016. This online training certification will give agents the information they need and allow access to a global consumer market via the consumer-facing platform. (For more tips, see the sidebar.)