Let’s talk numbers. Not boring spreadsheet numbers, but the kind that make my queer travel-loving heart sing. It might not feel like it in this political climate, but LGBTQ+ people are powerful. And some fresh travel industry data proves it.
Todd Plummer recently covered this in Business Traveler, pointing out what many of us already know in our bones: the political climate is uncertain, but there’s nothing uncertain about the LGBTQ+ community’s purchasing power. Especially when it comes to one of our favorite pastimes: travel!
The LGBTQ+ Travel Spend Is Projected to Nearly Double By 2033
As of 2022, queer Americans had $1.4 trillion in buying power. We were spending nearly $100 billion a year on travel. Globally, the figure was $218 billion. That number is now up to $320 billion and projected to nearly double by 2033.
Companies and destinations can try to ignore us. But if they do, they’ll miss out on a huge chunk of change.
I used pointed to this fact in my own book proposal to drive home the point to publishers: we’re here, we’re queer, and we really love travel. And disproportionate to our demographic numbers, we put money behind it.
Gallup’s latest numbers show that 9.3 percent of Americans identify as LGBTQ+. That’s up from 7.1 percent when I shopped my queer travel book around.
That book is now under contract and coming out next year, so hop on the email list to get occasional updates!
LGBTQ+ Travelers Represent a Diverse and Growing Market Share
LGBTQ+ travel has too often been portrayed as all gay cruises and white parties.
That might have been the most visible slice, but it was never the whole story.
More Millennials and Gen Z identify as queer, which makes us not only a cultural force but a growing and increasingly valuable market.
And the biggest slice of the rainbow pie? Bisexuals. Considering that 84 percent of bi folks have opposite-sex partners (and thus are often perceived as straight), companies are already serving this market – and have no idea!
While some companies have backpedaled on DEI with their ‘everyone is welcome’ false equivalencies, travel industry leaders are doubling down on diversity, equity and inclusion. And they’re being rewarded financially for doing so.
You don’t have to take my word for it, just look up Costco vs. Target stock prices from January 2025, when Target moonwalked away from Pride, to present.
Target’s stock is in the tank and they’re floundering to move forward.
The takeaway for companies: It’s not about showing up with rainbow branding during Pride month.
Show us you’ve done your homework.
Because we notice when companies get it wrong.
We also notice where destinations stand.
Increasingly, queer people don’t want to travel to places where we don’t feel safe or welcome.
After Florida passed “Don’t Say Gay,” in 2022, more than half of LGBTQ+ Americans said they were reluctant or uneasy about traveling there.
Mainstream media freaked when Florida’s destination management office dropped its LGBTQ+ travel website, but I thought it was their best move. Policies like “Don’t Say Gay” create an unwelcoming and hostile atmosphere – so why pretend otherwise?
Why should we give our travel dollars to destinations that so clearly don’t have our back?
The flip side is also true: we are actively seeking out places that feel good.
Canada, blue states, Iceland, Spain, Germany.
In Asia, Thailand and Japan continue to shine.
Travel Daily Media also notes that smaller, boutique companies offering curated LGBTQ+ trips are on the rise—and honestly, I’m rooting for them. When someone gets the mix of local knowledge and queer experience just right, that’s magic.
There’s also a shift happening in how we travel. More group trips with chosen family. More queer parents looking for gender-free booking options and inclusive labels.
Here again, companies that meet the moment can win loyal customers – and when we love something, we tell our friends!
And sure, the growth forecast—$604 billion by 2033—comes with a few big ifs. Global politics, climate, and economic swings could all affect those numbers. But the bottom line remains: LGBTQ+ travelers are showing up. With intention, with money, and with standards.
It’s easy to feel alone sometimes when traveling while queer. We overthink the little things. We scan for safety cues. We’re used to being on alert.
But when I look at the numbers, I remember that we’re never as alone as we feel. We’re out here, and we’re a force.
Our community is powerful, and we deserve to be treated with respect and consideration.
That’s why I do this work. That’s why I keep writing.
Travel trend posts like this go out twice a month to my newsletter community, a bright spot of queer joy in the algorithmic internet era. Explore newsletter perks or join today.
