Handbook of LGBT Tourism and Hospitality: A Guide for Business Practice

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Jeff Guaracino and Ed Salvato are leaders in the LGBT travel industry. They are friends, business partners, global speakers, and thought leaders in the travel, hospitality, and publishing industries. To research this book, Guaracino and Salvato traveled to six continents, interviewed nearly a hundred industry experts and hundreds of LGBT travelers, and observed emerging trends.

JEFF GUARACINO is an expert in destination tourism marketing and large-scale events. His interest in the field of LGBT travel started in 2002, when he attended Community Marketing’s International LGBT Tourism and Hospitality Conference in Miami, Florida.

Serving as the vice president of communications for the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPMTC) from 2001 until 2012, he led the team that created Philadelphia’s groundbreaking campaign, Philadelphia Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay®. That award-winning campaign set a new record for effectiveness and return on investment, and it made history with many LGBT marketing firsts, among them the debut of the world’s first television commercial for a destination for the LGBT traveler. Guaracino’s work in the tourism and hospitality industry in all LGBT segments and beyond has been noted by more than fifty prestigious travel industry awards.

Guaracino went on to become the executive director of the Atlantic City Alliance, a private, nonprofit destination marketing organization for Atlantic City, New Jersey, from 2012 to 2016. The herculean challenge was to reposition Atlantic City beyond its sole reliance on gaming to a year-round resort destination and to thereby reverse the destination’s dramatic tourism decline. LGBT tourism became one segment that helped Atlantic City start its comeback.

In 2016 Philadelphia’s Mayor Jim Kenney named Guaracino president and CEO of Welcome America, Inc., in Philadelphia. Guaracino’s first book, Gay and Lesbian Tourism: The Essential Guide for Marketing, is often considered the must-have, go-to resource on LGBT tourism marketing. He writes a syndicated travel column and speaks around the world. Guaracino can be reached at LGBTexpert.com

ED SALVATO is a journalist, author, public speaker, and content expert. Having graduated from Harvard with a degree in applied mathematics and economics and from Northeastern University with an MBA in market research, Salvato began his career as a market researcher and then moved on to travel journalism, believing that both careers require the same tactics for success: gathering and analyzing data and writing insightful analyses. Since 2012 he has served as chief content officer of ManAboutWorld, the world’s number-one digital gay travel magazine for tablets and smartphones. He was previously editor in chief (from 1998 to 2004) of the groundbreaking subscription-based printed newsletter Out&About, which was the first gay travel editorial product with a consumer (rather than an advertiser) focus. In 2004 he was appointed corporate director of travel media for PlanetOut Inc., overseeing travel content at Gay.com, PlanetOut.com, OutTraveler.com, Advocate.com, Advocate magazine, and Alyson Publications (now Alyson Books). During that time he was also editor in chief of Out Traveler and a contributing editor for Out magazine. He assembles and moderates the annual consumer LGBT panel at the New York Times Travel Show and the Adventure and Travel Shows in a number of their markets, including Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.

Copyright 2017 by Jeff Guaracino and Ed Salvato

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any form, by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, or any other means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

E-ISBN 978-1-939-59419-8

Harrington Park Press

Box 331

9 East Eighth Street

New York, NY 10003

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Guaracino, Jeff, author. | Salvato, Ed, 1962– author.

Title: Handbook of LGBT tourism & hospitality : a guide for business practice / Jeff Guaracino, Ed Salvato.

Other titles: Handbook of LGBT tourism and hospitality | Handbook of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender tourism and hospitality

Description: New York, NY : Harrington Park Press, [2017]

Identifiers: LCCN 2016039349 (print) | LCCN 2016058875 (ebook) | ISBN 9781939594181 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781939594174 (softcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781939594198 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Gays—Travel. | Tourism—Management.

Classification: LCC HQ75.25 .G833 2017 (print) | LCC HQ75.25 (ebook) | DDC 306.76/6—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016039349

A Columbia University Press E-book.

CUP would be pleased to hear about your reading experience with this e-book at [email protected].

This book is dedicated to our family, friends, mentors, and the LGBT pioneers in travel and civil rights.

LGBT TRAVEL EXPERTS AND ADVISERS

The authors wish to thank the panel of experts and advisers who provided their suggestions for the best practices in the world of LGBT travel. We’d like especially to acknowledge:

Martine Ainsworth-Wells, Ainsworth & Wells (formerly Visit London/London & Partners)

Tom Alderink, Belmond

Jon Allen, Island House Resort Key West

Tracy Baim, Windy City Times

Alan Beck, FunMaps

Michael Bertetto, SLS Las Vegas (formerly with Wynn Las Vegas and Encore and R&R Partners)

Rich Campbell, Atlantis Events

Felipe Cardenas, Colombian LGBT Chamber of Commerce

Clovis Casemiro, 4 Go Travel network

Tanya Churchmuch, Much PR (formerly with Tourism Montreal)

Brad Cicero, Porter Airlines

Joe D’Alessandro, San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau

Alexis Dee, Southern Comfort

Pablo DeLuca, GNetworks360

Fred Dixon, NYC & Company

Stuart Elliott, MediaVillage (formerly with the New York Times)

Alfredo Ferreyra, BUEGay Argentina

Apoorva Gandhi, Marriot International, Inc.

Gina Gatta, Damron LGBT Travel Guides

David Gonzalez, MGM Resorts International

Richard Gray, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau

Richard Green, BestBus

Randy Griffin, Marshall Hotels (formerly with Marriott International)

Malcolm Griffiths, Development Counsellors International

Nicki Grossman, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau

Charlie Gu, China Luxury Advisors

Christina Guggenberger, formerly Stockholm Visitors Board, City of Stockholm

Greg Hamman, Underseas Expeditions

Keith Hart, World OutGames Miami 2017

Bryan Herb, Zoom Vacations

Masaki Higashida, Beyond Tokyo

Shiho Ikeuchi, Hotel Granvia Tokyo

Rika Jean-François, ITB Berlin

David Jefferys, Altus Agency

Merryn Johns, Curve

Ian Johnson, Out Now Global and Out Now Business Class

Gregg Kaminsky, R Family Vacations

Betti Keese, GoBeyond—Women’s Travel and LezTrek

Donna Keren, NYC & Company

Brian King, Marriott International

Robert Klara, AdWeek

Shintaro Koizumi, Out Asia Travel

Billy Kolber, ManAboutWorld Magazine

Ron Kuijpers, Gay Tours Mexico

Meryl Levitz, Visit Philadelphia (formerly known as Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, GPTMC)

Russell Lord, Kenes Tours

Christy Mallory, Williams Institute

Auston Matta, Two Bad Tourists

Michael McDowell, Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board

Ryan Miccio, United Airlines

Miles Mitchinson, Detours Travel

Zachary Moses, HE Travel

Jonathan Mountford, Made Travel

Jon Munoz, Hilton Worldwide

Rick Murray, Crown & Anchor

George Neary, Miami Convention and Visitors Board

Dean Nelson, Whistler Pride and Ski Festival

Gustavo Noguera, GNetworks360

Clint Ostler, Alaska Airlines

David Paisley, Community Marketing & Insights

Yolanda Perdomo, United Nations World Tourism Organization

Joseph Poteet, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

Catherine Reilly, Brendan Vacations

Mya Reyes, Las Vegas Gay Visitors Bureau

Mark C. Romig, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation

Steve Roth, Alturi (formerly with OutThink Partners and Atlantis Events)

Tom Roth, Community Marketing & Insights

Charlie Rounds, Wiser Wolf (formerly with OutThink Partners and RSVP Vacations)

David Ryan, Rhino Africa Safaris

Darrell Schuurman, Travel Gay Canada

Mark Segal, Philadelphia Gay News

Robert Sharp, Out Adventures

Michael F. Sheridan, Temple University, School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management

Eric Silverberg, SCRUFF

Rajat Singla, Pink Vibgyor, India

Matt Skallerud, Pink Banana Media

Bernadette Smith, The Equality Institute

Craig Smith, Source Events

Steve Smith, Pride Flight 2018 (formerly with Florida Keys & Key West)

Shannon Spillett, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

Rick Stiffler, Preferred Hotels

Alessio Virgili, Quiiky Viaggi

Srimala Waraphaskul, Tourism Authority of Thailand

Bob Witeck, Witeck Communications, Inc.

CONTENTS

About the Authors

LGBT Travel Experts and Advisers

List of Figures

Acknowledgments

Milestones in LGBT History, Tourism, and Marketing

Foreword by Bob Witeck

Introduction

1  THE FOUNDATIONS OF LGBT TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY

1A  Your elevator pitch: The importance of developing a segment-specific program for LGBT tourism

1B  Sizing the LGBT segment: Buying power

1C  The importance of the LGBT segment in the travel industry

1D  Tips before launching your LGBT marketing campaign

1E  Success in the LGBT travel market: Top ten tips from Jeff and Ed

Discussion questions

2  BUSINESS ESSENTIALS: UNDERSTANDING THE LGBT TRAVEL MARKET

2A  Understanding key segments and focusing your resources

2B  Lesbian travel: Women first, then lesbians

2C  Bisexual travel: Identifying an elusive population

2D  Putting the T in LGBT travel: Introducing the trans traveler

2E  LGBT family travel trends

2F  The top ten trends in LGBT travel

2G  Training, staff, business policies, and employee resource groups

Discussion questions

3  BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

3A  LGBT tourism and hospitality businesses

3B  LGBT events, festivals, and sporting events: An overview

3C  LGBT sports to drive revenue and visitation

3D  Pride festivals

3E  Tailoring your mainstream product with an LGBT twist

3F  Welcome signs and symbols

3G  The cruise industry

3H  LGBT tour operators

3I   Gays and the motor coach

3J  Airlines: Putting more butts in seats

3K  Hotels and lodging

3L  Meetings, conventions, and business groups

3M  Milestone celebration travel: Weddings, honeymoons, and other celebrations

3N  Navigating controversies and turning them to your advantage

Discussion questions

4  MARKETING YOUR BUSINESS

4A  Setting your marketing goals, budget, and staff

4B  Getting your advertising history straight

4C  Strategies for building an effective marketing campaign

4D  The changing media landscape: The rise, fall, and rise of LGBT publications

4E  Great content in context is your foundation

4F  Communications, public relations, and media relations

4G  Smart press trips

4H  LGBT print advertising and gay-inclusive creative

4I   Online and digital marketing

4J  Marketing through mobile phone apps

4K  Ten tips to keep your LGBT campaign and your destination competitive

4L  The ten classic principles of successful LGBT marketing

Discussion questions

5  THE GLOBAL VIEW: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

5A  Asia: The most gay-friendly destinations

5B  Argentina: Five tips for your LGBT business

5C  Brazil: A strong LGBT tourism market

5D  Canada: New ways of marketing using content in context

5E  China: A market opportunity

5F  Colombia: Five tips from an emerging destination

5G  Europe: Tips on the lesbian market

5H  India: Cultural, religious, and societal challenges

5I   Israel: Marketing LGBT tours in Tel Aviv

5J  Japan: Welcoming international LGBT guests to a conservative country

5K  Mexico: A gay-friendly but macho country

5L  United Kingdom: Reaching LGBT travelers is always a challenge

5M The United States: Beyond New York and San Francisco

Discussion questions

6  TRENDS AND INDUSTRY RESOURCES

6A  Market research: Companies, data, surveys, and reports

6B  Associations and conventions

6C  Advocacy organizations

6D  Conferences and expositions

6E  Further reading

6F  Annotated bibliography

Discussion question

Notes

Index

FIGURES

Figure 1. Visit Britain extends an invitation to gay men.

Figure 2. Visit Britain offers an invitation to lesbians.

Figure 3. Fort Lauderdale markets the best of the destination.

Figure 4. Saying I do in Las Vegas.

Figure 5. Fort Lauderdale uses real lesbians in its ads.

Figure 6. Stockholm’s Leading Ladies campaign.

Figure 7. Fort Lauderdale courts the trans traveler.

Figure 8. GayGermany—100% so you.

Figure 9. Pink Pillow Berlin Collection.

Figure 10. Borgata boasts its 100% score on the Corporate Equality Index.

Figure 11. United Airlines: Openly and proudly LGBT-friendly.

Figure 12. It all starts in DC.

Figure 13. Tel Aviv gay vibe.

Figure 14. Azamara Club Cruises uses an LGBT booking code.

Figure 15. Alaska Airlines is calling all explorers.

Figure 16. The Porter Airlines mascot.

Figure 17. Marriott Hotels: #LoveTravels.

Figure 18. Luxor Las Vegas appeals to the upscale traveler.

Figure 19. Preferred Hotels offers an upscale LGBT experience.

Figure 20. Thailand: Go Thai, Be Free.

Figure 21. Brazil’s National Family Day.

Figure 22. ITB’s Gay & Lesbian Travel Pavilion: Long Live Diversity!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We wish to thank Bill Cohen, who cofounded Haworth Press and is publisher at Harrington Park Press. We also wish to thank Bill’s exceptional team: Steven Rigolosi, the book development editor; Patrick Ciano, the book designer; Ann Twombly, our copy editor; and Columbia University Press. We are grateful to Bill and the entire team for this opportunity and for their assistance every step of the way. It is a privilege to work with them.

We want to thank everyone who generously gave their time and expertise captured in this book.

JEFF: I would like to acknowledge God for all of the gifts in my life; my partner, Todd Mckee, for his patience and love; my mother, Lucille Guaracino; my ABB, Ed Salvato; my friends Bruce Yelk, Kevin Hanaway, Joanne Calabria, Meryl Levitz, Marcia and Benjamin Gelbart, and Mark Segal; my family, Jerry, Kim, Taylor, Travis, Ava, and Luke; my aunts, uncles, and cousins; Dr. Brian Little; Tom Roth and David Paisely; Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus; the staff and board at Visit Philadelphia (Angela Val, Cara Schneider, and Cathy McVey); the staff and board at the Atlantic City Alliance (Liz Cartmell, Dave Wadell, Judi Ludovico, Christine Spencer, Francine Palumbo, and Kellianne Nicholas); my colleagues and friends Charlie Rounds, Andrew Davis, Susan Hamilton, Andi Coyle, Linda Sonnie, Sabrina Tamburino-Thorn, Nicole Cashman, Sandy Hillman, Liz Feldman, Melanie Sole, Rosalyn McPherson, Gregg Kaminski and Dan MacDonald, Don Guardian, Gary Hill and John Schultz, and Laura Burkhardt; the staff and board of Welcome America, Inc., especially Mayor Jim Kenney, the Altus Agency, and very particularly all of my dear friends in Philadelphia, Atlantic City, and the world, who are too many to name but you are in my heart.

ED: I would like to acknowledge my family, Anthony, Elaine, John, Steve, Teresa, Annette, Mike, and their families, and special acknowledgment to Sue Childs, my late sister-in-law, who was always supportive. I’d also like to acknowledge Billy Kolber and David Alport, founders of Out&About and my original gay travel mentors; Barbara Kolber, who has kept my i’s dotted and t’s crossed through two travel magazines; my supportive friends Konstantinos Sarvanakis, Mary P. Keating, Linda Adams, Eric Schultz, Steve Amsden, Evan Frank, Chris Cooper, Dave Zebny, Stephanie La Tour, Jeanne Reid, and Lori Goldstein; and Jeff Guaracino, my ABB.

And we wish to acknowledge everyone who participated in small and big ways to help shape the book.

—Jeff Guaracino

    Philadelphia

—Ed Salvato

    New York City

MILESTONES IN LGBT HISTORY, TOURISM, AND MARKETING

For a list of recommended books about the international LGBT travel market, see sections 6E and 6F (Further Reading and Annotated Bibliography).

FOREWORD

Worldwide travel is not compulsory. Great minds have been fostered entirely by staying close to home. Moses never got further than the Promised Land. Da Vinci and Beethoven never left Europe. Shakespeare hardly went anywhere at all—certainly not to Elsinore or the coast of Bohemia.

—Jan Morris

Jan Morris, one of the world’s great minds, beloved writers, and avid travelers, is right. For many of us, travel is not required. For lesbians and gay men, bisexuals and transgender people, however, it surely is a powerful impulse, even a need.

Jan Morris also made her journey from one gender to another and never seemed to fear an obstacle in her path. LGBT travelers can benefit from her example. And so will readers of this Handbook of LGBT Tourism and Hospitality.

Nearly twenty-five years ago, I began advising business leaders about the economic contributions of gay men and lesbians (and soon thereafter, transgender people and bisexuals). Back then, it was not so puzzling why major brands were shy about marketing to these consumers. Many saw the proposition as an honest calculation of risk versus reward. Years ago, one destination marketer asked me whether, by attracting one gay tourist, he might repel two or three other straight visitors.

Gay people understand that we’re not always made to feel welcome. The world has not always been very welcoming to the few, the outsiders, and the different. Nonetheless, that knowledge can be liberating. When LGBT people recognize that the world isn’t going to change us, we think: Why not change the world instead? Even if just one person at a time, one brand at a time, or one destination at a time?

This mind-set is exactly why the travel and hospitality industry leads the business world today by showing how to welcome all of us. For a quarter century, I’ve had the privilege to work with some of the best of the best, including American Airlines and Marriott, and I’ve observed the pioneering work of many top brands at home and around the world. There is no longer debate that the world of travel is about welcome and respect—for all.

It’s easy to see why. Contemporary hospitality brands know that they face fierce competition for every talent, for every guest, for every experience. We have transformed the LGBT community’s increased visibility and solid market data into a compelling business case that no travel leader can ignore. And now, as businesses increasingly seek to market to millennials, we see that LGBT inclusion and awareness is a priority for new generations, too.

Luckily for us all, Jeff Guaracino and Ed Salvato are the ideal navigators for this rewarding journey. Their combined years of marketing savvy and leadership—and their unparalleled network of travel experts, writers, researchers, marketers, and sales leaders—have delivered a road map to help businesses navigate all aspects of LGBT tourism and hospitality marketing in the coming years. You hold that road map in your hands now.

Shakespeare never roamed far, as Jan Morris reminds us. Books, however, can truly transport us—and I promise you that this book will do exactly that.

Bob Witeck

Witeck Communications, Inc.

Washington, D.C.

Authors’ note: Witeck Communications provides strategic public relations and marketing communications services for corporate and nonprofit clients who believe, as we do, that protecting and enhancing their reputations are key to their success. Witeck’s work and clients often focus on social and market issues and how they influence corporations, nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies.

INTRODUCTION

This book is about smart business. It is about expanding your travel and hospitality business through the simple and elegant power of the invitation: a sincere invitation to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) travelers to discover your travel product (see Figures 1 and 2). This book will give you the tools you need to build an authentic and effective marketing program for the worldwide LGBT market segment.

Handbook of LGBT Tourism and Hospitality is a guide to success for hospitality professionals, teachers, students, marketing and sales professionals, travel agents, tour operators, destination marketing organizations, trade associations, meeting planners, consultants, marketing and communications professionals, convention and visitors bureaus, governments, media, researchers, and sales teams from hotels, cruise lines, airlines, and tour operators.

Nearly all businesses have LGBT customers, whether they are acknowledged or not. Some businesses may be starting out, just thinking about whether, why, and how to market to LGBT travelers. Other businesses already in the market may be seeking to increase their market share or to get more customers by enhancing their marketing outreach to LGBT travelers. Whether you are new or experienced, this book presents the data, case studies, and tips from experienced professionals that you need to expand your business.

Handbook of LGBT Tourism and Hospitality is designed as an easy-to-read, practical, and relevant guidebook to assist your marketing efforts in the increasingly competitive global travel and hospitality industry. We hope that industry professionals, educators, and students will use this book as a resource to learn about the market, develop strategies, and build effective campaigns. This book touches on LGBT travel history, but it is not a history book. Rather, it is a handbook for all who are interested in the LGBT tourism and hospitality industry. At its core is the belief that LGBT tourism is about good business.

To provide the best practical advice for marketing to the LGBT segment, the book provides a number of useful features.

Q&A with industry leaders

As part of our research, we interviewed eighty-five industry leaders. We combined their insights (along with the insights of many other tourism and hospitality professionals) with our experience in the world of LGBT travel to provide a real world look at best practices. Throughout this handbook you will find original, never-before-published interviews with experts in the field—some of whom have made history in the LGBT