Renewed LGBTQ Travel Is Focus of Travel Advisors But Not Destination Marketing
Photo Credit: From left: Joel Cabrera, Chief Travel Officer and co-founder of Zoom Vacations, walking with his boyfriend Matt on the beach in the Maldives. Zoom Vacations / Landaa
Skift Take
It's obviously tremendous for the tourism industry that LGBTQ travelers have been enthusiastic about hitting the road this summer. Imagine how much more revenue destinations could earn if they did a better job of marketing to that community.
June represents the reopening of many destinations to tourists as well marks Pride Month. That confluence shines on a light on the state of LGBTQ tourism and the aggressive role travel advisors are playing.
Yet, marketing to LGBTQ travelers on the part of the destinations themselves is not in sync with the demand.
At first glance, it would seem obvious that LGBTQ tourism would be poised for an enormous rebound. A story published in Skift last year in the midst of the pandemic indicated that larger numbers of LGBTQ community were eager to hit the road in large numbers. Indeed, a poll conducted by the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association mentioned in the piece found that 66 percent of respondents said they would have felt comfortable partaking in leisure travel by the end of 2020.
That urge to travel has only increased as more people have gotten vaccinated. A recent IGLTA poll found that 73 percent of respondents have plans to go on vacation by the end of 2021 while
