If you’re interested in the LGBTQ+ travel market and want to know how to make a living with it, you may want to watch my latest video presentation.
As an author, travel writer, travel blogger and travel content specialist for the travel industry, I talk a lot about travel, tourism and marketing. My most recent public discourse was this educational presentation — “5 Ways to Profit with the LGBTQ+ Travel Segment” — at the ASTA Global Convention, the big annual conference of the American Society of Travel Advisors. In it, I aimed to provide valuable insight to help travel advisors and others in the industry to make the most of the opportunities in the LGBTQ segment, which represents more than $215 billion in consumer spending every year.
I started by talking about how the travel and tourism industries have evolved and getting even friendlier and better at serving this valuable niche. Suppliers, tourism organizations and travel advisors are paying attention to LGBTQ customers like never before.
Why does the industry care so much about the LGBTQ segment? Well, there are lots of reasons:
• SPENDING POWER is one of them. The LGBTQ community has a lot of money to spend.
• THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL is another. According to multiple studies, for example, LGBTQ travelers are more likely to have a passport than most U.S. citizens. That means many of them are more ready to pick up and go, wherever that may be.
• Also worth noting are the DIVERSE INTERESTS of the LGBTQ market. Since the market is filled with people who represent various age groups, genders, races, ethnicities, budgets and interests, that means more sales opportunities for YOU. And we’ll go into this more in just a bit.
• Another great thing: the LGBTQ community has proved to REBOUND relatively quickly following downturns like what we’ve been experiencing during the pandemic.
In other words, these are people who make great clients.
The main tips I shared with attendees (and you can hear more details about each in the video):
- Create the best possible work environment
- Educate yourself about the LGBTQ market
- Don’t use a “one-size-fits-all” approach to this niche
- Get your message out there through the media, organizational membership and other channels
- Make the right business connections and find LGBTQ-friendly and -savvy suppliers to work with
I was so impressed with the insight, experience and informed questions that the travel advisors in the audience shared following my presentation (I’ve included most of the questions and comments in the video so you can listen in).
Today’s travel agents are among the savviest people in the world when it comes to staying on top to the rapidly changing travel and tourism industries, and they provide insight that few other people can. It’s always an honor — and a learning experience — to speak with my travel advisor friends!
I’m a travel writer, travel blogger and Mexico travel specialist, and I love sharing travel tips to make your next vacation or business trip better. My new memoir was just published: Prepare for Departure: Notes on a Single Mother, a Misfit Son, Inevitable Mortality and the Enduring Allure of Frequent Flyer Miles. Please click and check it out!
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