Greater Phoenix can expect a 79 percent increase in gay and lesbian visitors in the coming year, according to The 11th Annual Gay & Lesbian Travel Survey, conducted by Community Marketing Inc.One of the questions posed by the survey was, "What destinations would you be likely to visit in the coming year?" Based on answers from more than 6,700 respondents, greater Phoenix showed an expected travel increase of 79 percent for the next year. Only New Orleans, on the rebound after Hurricane Katrina, showed a greater jump.
Douglas MacKenzie, director of Communications for the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau, said he was not surprised by the survey results. The CVB began actively courting the gay and lesbian market last year. Working closely with the city's Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, the CVB created advertising campaigns for Passport magazine and sent representatives to both the National Lesbian Gay Journalist Association Conference in Miami and the Community Marketing International Conference on Gay & Lesbian Tourism.
Survey respondents who traveled last year spent an average of 29 nights away from home, and 76 percent said in the future they were more likely to choose to travel to destinations that are known for being gay-friendly. The median respondent had a household income of $79,000 and spent about $6,300 on travel last year. And 40 percent of those surveyed indicated they would increase spending on leisure travel next year, versus only 11 percent who said they expected to reduce spending.
from The Phoenix Business Journal
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