If you prefer to view this consumer reserach on he travel and alcoholic beverage preferences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual American as a PDF, click here. Otherwise, below are the report's contents.
Source: Experian Simmons Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender STudy Fall 2008
* The Simmons LGBT Consumer Study surveys non-Hispanic consumers only.
June is recognized as Pride Month by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community worldwide. Various events are held in June to commemorate the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion which many consider to be the birth of the moderl LGBT civil rights movement.
The LGBT community is an economic force that shouldn't be ignored. This report concentrates on just two categories - travel and alcoholic beverage - that illustrates the importance of the LGB market.
Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Americans Enjoy Traveling
For years the travel industry has been courting the LGB population. And for good reason: When it comes to foreign travel, gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans take more trips and spend more money than their heterosexual counterparts.
However, when it comes to travel within the 50 U.S. states, this group is actually less likely to have taken a trip. In fact, LGB Americans are 21% less likely to say they prefer traveling in the U.S. as opposed to travelling to foreign countries and 25% more likely to say that they love the idea of traveling abroad.
The following three charts are snapshots of LGB and heterosexual Americans' foreign and domestic travel.
| Foreign Travel | Homosexual Men | Heterosexual Men | Homosexual Women | Heterosexual Women |
| Own a valid passport | 40% | 35% | 42% | 36% |
| Traveled abroad in the past 3 years | 41% | 40% | 49% | 42% |
| Amount spent on a typical foreign trip | $2,788 | $2,464 | $2,511 | $2,299 |
| Domestic Travel | Homosexual Men | Heterosexual Men | Homosexual Women | Heterosexual Women |
| Taken a trip within the U.S. in last 12 months | 65% | 70% | 68% | 70% |
| Amount spent on a typical domestic trip | $468 | $566 | $463 | $533 |
| Stayed in a hotel in the U.S. in last 12 months | 58% | 71% | 71% | 70% |
| Additional Travel Statistics | Homosexual Men | Heterosexual Men | Homosexual Women | Heterosexual Women |
| Enrolled in a freqent flyer program | 30% | 22% | 22% | 22% |
| Used Internet for airline/car/hotel information or reservations in last 30 days | 27% | 23% | 30% | 27% |
Spirts Over Beer
Alcohol beverage companies were among the first to advertise to LGBT consumers, a smart move given that LGB adults age 21 and older are almost 10% more likely than heterosexual adults of legal age to drink alcoholic beverages.
| Type of alcohol consumed | Homosexual Men | Heterosexual Men | Homosexual Women | Heterosexual Women |
| Any beer | 56% | 61% | 55% | 34% |
| Any wine | 51% | 36% | 56% | 43% |
| Any spirit | 63% | 51% | 61% | 43% |
| Any cooler/flavor | 22% | 16% | 36% | 28% |
| Any alcohol | 78% | 71% | 77% | 63% |
How many drinks?
Furthermore, LGB alcohol consumers typically down 32% more alcoholic beverages per month than heterosexual drinkers.
| Number of drinks consumed in last 30 days* | Homosexual Men | Heterosexual Men | Homosexual Women | Heterosexual Women |
| Any beer | 11.6 | 13.2 | 12.5 | 8.4 |
| Any wine | 10.7 | 8.8 | 10.4 | 8.2 |
| Any spirit | 13.9 | 12.2 | 13.7 | 8.6 |
| Any cooler/flavored beverage | 4.2 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 4.7 |
| Any alcohol | 25.4 | 23.7 | 28.3 | 16.2 |
* Among adults 21 and older who consumed at least one drink in the last 30 days from the indicated category. (e.g.: The average beer drinking lesbian/bisexual female of legal drinking age, consumers 12.5 beers per month compared ot the average beer drinking heterosexual female adult of legal drinking age who drinks 8.4 beers per month.)
