Millennials are shaking up technology, politics and society around the world, and are joining the global workforce in ever greater numbers. However their attitudes have been strongly defined by the times in which they grew up. This includes the era of great advancements in equal rights for LGBT people, which Millennials have both witnessed and benefitted from. As a result, this generation is increasingly flexible and open-minded in its attitudes towards sexuality, calling into question whether LGBT-specific travel products and experiences will be so relevant in the future. In this presentation, given at the 2016 IGLTA Annual Global Convention in Cape Town, South Africa I discuss all these issues and give recommendations on how to upgrade LGBT product development and marketing for the Millennial generation.

1. Peter Jordan
Founder, Gen C Traveller
Senior Tourism Analyst, Toposophy
How to Make LGBT Travel
Matter to Millennials
IGLTA Annual Global Convention,
Saturday 16 April 2016, Belmond Hotel, Cape Town@GenCTraveller

2. @GenCTraveller
• Specialist in Millennial traveller trends
• Strategic advisor on understanding
and engaging with Millennials
• Author of industry-leading reports on
Millennials, the emerging markets, the
sharing economy and LGBT travel
• Consultant to the Pacific Asia Travel
Association, and IGLTA
• Lead tourism industry research section
at Toposophy
Peter Jordan
Founder:
GenCTraveller.com
Senior Tourism
Analyst

3. Research that asks “Where
Next?”
@GenCTraveller

4. @GenCTraveller
How to Make LGBT Travel
Matter to Millennials

5. @GenCTraveller
Who are Millennials?

6. @GenCTraveller

7. @GenCTravelle
r

8. Who are Millennials?
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Born during this period
Enters teenage years –
becomes an independent
consumer, post-2000
Gen X
Baby-
boome
rs
Gen Z
@GenCTravell

9. @GenCTravelle
r
“But they don’t spend
much”

10. • Millennials have are driving
technological, political and
social change, globally
• Within 10 years they’ll
make up 75% of the global
workforce
• They are driving growth
now from the emerging
markets
• Think Millennials are all

11. @GenCTravell
Not all Millennials
are the same

12. @GenCTraveller
The same, but different
SCHOOL LEAVER / APPRENTICE
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL / STUDENT / ‘NEET’
PARENT / PARTNERED / MARRIED / SINGLE
16-18 , 18-20, 20-22,
22-24, 24-26, 26-28,
28-30, 30-32, 32-34

13. @GenCTraveller
The same, but different
Millennials are defined by the times in which
they grew up: world events, the economy and
social dynamics. Experiences of these differ
around the world.
Gen Y
Gen Z

14. @GenCTravell
Mature market Millennials
• High youth unemployment
• Unstable career paths
• Rising cost of higher education
• Unstructured work
• Wage stagnation
• Lack of affordable housing
• Lower income than parents
• Entering highly competitive
jobs market
• Stressed and lonely

15. • # YOLO Mentality
• Understand need for
self-reliance
• Serious about skills
• Less interested in
acquiring material
things. More about
experiences
• Selective spending

16. @GenCTraveller@GenCTraveller
Emerging market
Millennials
• Benefitted from economic
boom, rising education
and improved gender
equality
• Upwardly mobile &
ambitious

17. @GenCTraveller
Millennials are:
• Hyper connected
• Globally aware
• Fast paced
• Open to new concepts
• More realistic
• Looking to get ahead
• Seeking advice and
reassurance
• Craving offline
interaction
• They just want to be
happy @GenCTraveller

18. So, how do Millennials travel?
5
defining characteristics
@GenCTraveller

19. 1
The obvious one…
CONNECTIVITY
@GenCTraveller

20. This is the generation that grew up with:
• ‘Internet everywhere’ (3G, Wi-Fi)
• E-Commerce (Amazon, eBay, Google)
• Mobile devices
• Social media
• E-travel (leading in reviews, metasearch,
last minute booking, group deals)
• …All helping to create the effect of
advertising travel as part of a ‘personal
brand’

21. 2
Right here, right now…
CRAVING
INTERACTION
@GenCTraveller

22. ONLINE
Comfortable with
interacting with
friends, relatives,
colleagues and,
umm,
‘acquaintances’

23. @GenCTraveller
OFFLINE
• Keen to meet the locals
• Appreciate ‘fireside’ moments
• Seeking authentic experiences
& local ‘insider’ knowledge
• Creates an opportunity to
develop soft skills
‘The Mix’, by
Marriott’s
The Residence

24. 3
HAPPY TO SHARE
@GenCTraveller

25. @GenCTraveller
DRIVING THE
SHARING ECONOMY
• Prizes access over ownership
• Pushing demand and supply
• Confident smartphone
entrepreneurs
• Comfortable with the
concept, driven by trust and
reviews

26. 4
The essential ingredient to every trip…
AUTHENTIC
EXPERIENCES
@GenCTraveller

27. AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES
• In a globalised world, they are
the key to discovering the true
character of a destination
• Travel is a vehicle for indulging
your personal passion
FOOD / DRINK / FASHION / DESIGN
/ ART / CRAFTS / WILDLIFE /
ARCHITECTURE / LANSCAPES /
LANGUAGE / MUSIC / DANCE /
SPORTS / WELLBEING / FESTIVALS /
RELIGION / URBAN CULTURE /
PEOPLE

28. ‘Stepping Out of the Crowd: Where the Next
Generation of Asian Travellers is Heading’
@GenCTraveller
Travel attitudes survey of
>1000 Millennials from 13
outbound markets in Asia

29. @GenCTravellerStay with local people (homestay)
Feel safer than in the city
Practice the local language
See a specific religious site
Eat modern food/drink
Meet local people
Experience city-city transport (e.g. high speed train)
Attend a specific event (concert, festival)
Feel calmer than in the city
Stay in unique accommodation
Do an adventure sport
Experience local transport (e.g. local subway, bus)
See famous places from TV/movie
Do walking/hiking
Visit specific town or village I’ve heard about
Try traditional/unique drink
Experience the lifestyle of the local people
See specific historic or cultural sites
See the coastline/beach
Try traditional/unique foods
Visit family or friends
See beautiful landscapes
14%
16%
16%
18%
18%
20%
20%
21%
25%
28%
29%
29%
30%
32%
33%
35%
35%
43%
51%
51%
52%
74%
What
motivated you
to take a trip
out of the city?

30. 5
Budget + luxury =
SELECTIVE SPENDING
@GenCTraveller

31. “Millennials are spending their
money in a curated way that
sends a message about
themselves and their own
brand”
Josh Wyatt
Chief Strategy Officer, Generator Hostels (Skift,
2016)
• The internet makes it
possible
• Conspicuous consumption
isn’t fashionable. Being a
savvy spender is!
• Where does your product

32. @GenCTraveller
Putting Your Place on the
Millennial Map (and Staying
There)
• INSIGHTS
• INSPIRATION
• PRACTICAL ADVICE
Free download:
toposophy.com/resources

33. Despite our youth, us
Millennials have witnessed
and benefitted from great
advancements in rights for
LGBT people
@GenCTraveller

34. Equal marriage
@GenCTraveller
Anti-discrimination laws
Improved education in schools
Increased visibility & awareness
Celebrity coming-outs
Popularisation of pride events
In our time…

35. Lesbian
@GenCTraveller
Asexual
Bisexual
12 shades of gay…
Pansexual
Demisexual
HomoflexibleHeteroflexible
Queer Gay
Sapiosexual
Questioning
Straight

36. @GenCTraveller
“Homosexuality should be
accepted by society”
0 20 40 60 80 100
United States
Canada
United Kingdom
Spain
South Korea
Brazil
Mexico
China
Indonesia
18-29
30-49
50+
Source: “The Global Divide on Homosexuality, Pewglobal.org, 4 June 2013

37. Will established LGBT
destinations remain
attractive to emerging
market Millennials?
To what extent will
sexuality really define
vacation choice?
Is the LGBT travel
industry keeping up with
the pace of change in
Millennial attitudes?
What travel
criteria will
LGBT travellers
always have?

38. The Answer…
INNOVATION
&
PERSONALISATION
@GenCTraveller

39. INNOVATION IN PRODUCT
DESIGN AND EXPERIENCES
OFFERED
• LGBT Millennials are more
adventurous and have
greater accessibility to travel
• They increasingly seek to go
‘off the beaten track’ like
everyone else

40. • Craving offline
experiences and a
chance to widen their
network
• Want to acquire soft
skills and find ways to
improve themselves
(fitness, good food,
life skills…)
• Appreciate
opportunities to ‘meet
the locals’ in an offline
environment
@GenCTraveller

41. PERSONALISATION IN
MARKETING &
CONSUMER
ENGAGEMENT
• How’s your digital
strategy in general?
• Where do you sit on
the path to purchase?
• In your marketing, are
you reflecting the true

42. OVER
TO
YOU
@GenCTraveller

43. Will established LGBT
destinations remain
attractive to emerging
market Millennials?
To what extent will
sexuality really define
vacation choice?
Is the LGBT travel
industry keeping up with
the pace of change in
Millennial attitudes?
What travel
criteria will
LGBT travellers
always have?

44. • What do you find most difficult about reaching
the Millennial market?
• In what ways do you think geo-location based
apps (Grindr, Scruff, Tinder…) have changed the
way gay men and women travel?
• Which of the pressing issues facing gay men and
women is the LGBT travel industry best placed to
address? How might you go about it?
• What kind of opportunities does the
diversification of LGBT ‘tribes’ present for the
travel industry?

45. NICE TO MEET YOU!
Peter Jordan
Find me at:
@GenCTraveller
GenCTraveller.com
genctraveller@gmail.com