Gays and Lesbians More Likely than Heterosexuals to Plan Next Vacation Overseas or in Major U.S. Cities, Survey Finds

Echelon Magazine's website posted an article about a recent study on the travel habits of gays and lesbians. Here's an excerpt:

New study by Harris Interactive and
Witeck-Combs Communications examines personal travel among gays and lesbians

ROCHESTER, N.Y., January 3, 2006,ˆ Gay and
lesbian adults are more likely than heterosexual adults to say that they plan to
spend their next vacations overseas according to a recent nationwide online
survey of U.S. adults conducted by Harris Interactive® in conjunction with
Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc.

Fourteen percent (14%) of gay and lesbian
adults say that for their next vacation, they are planning to travel to an
overseas destination, compared to seven percent of heterosexual adults. The
study also revealed that gays and lesbians were more likely to plan personal
travel to major cities in the United States, with 27 percent of those
respondents choosing major cities for their next vacation compared with 21
percent of heterosexual adults.

These are several highlights of a nationwide
online survey of 2,315 adults (ages 18 and over), of whom 678 are gay and
lesbian adults. The survey was conducted online between Nov. 15 and 22, 2005, by
Harris Interactive®, a worldwide market research and consulting firm, in
conjunction with Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc., a strategic public relations
and marketing communications firm with special expertise in the gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender (GLBT) market.

The study also demonstrates the appeal that
gay and lesbian cruises can have with this market. More than one in four
heterosexual adults (27 percent) say they‚ve taken a cruise on a mainstream
cruise line such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, etc., compared
to fewer than one in five gay and lesbian adults (18 percent). Yet 10 percent of
gay/lesbian adults say they have taken a specialty cruise aimed specifically at
gay/lesbian travelers." For several years, we have tracked the strong affinity
of the gay/lesbian market for travel, particularly for popular destinations at
home and overseas," said Bob Witeck, CEO of Witeck Combs Communications. "With
fewer children, and somewhat higher discretionary income, lesbian and gay adults
consistently index higher than their heterosexual counterparts," added
Witeck.

James Quilty, vice president, Travel and
Tourism Research at Harris Interactive, states, "Travel suppliers and
intermediaries have become increasingly aware of the importance in tailoring
their products and services to meet the needs of gays and lesbians, a
significant travel segment."