Start Date
7-1-2011 2:30 PM
End Date
7-1-2011 3:30 PM
Track
2. Track 2 - Poster Session
Subject Area
Marketing
Faculty Member
Dr. Carola Raab carola.raab@unlv.edu
Abstract
The past decade has seen a surge in commercial efforts to attract the gay market, and this is evident in the hotel industry. The question remains, however, what does it take to become a truly gay friendly hotel? Do hoteliers know how to effectively target this market by offering features that are gay friendly? Is the perception of what is gay friendly the same for hotels and gay guests, or does a listening gap exist? Through gap analysis, this study looks at what hospitality managers know about their gay guests. By considering both service providers’ and gay guests’ perspectives (analyzing the “gay gap”), misinterpretation and inaccurate decision making can be avoided and resources can be utilized to more effectively target this potentially lucrative market.
Keywords
gay travel, tourism, hotel attributes, perception, motivating factors, gap analysis, listening gap
The Gay Gap – are Gay and Lesbian Hotel Guests Getting What They Want?
The past decade has seen a surge in commercial efforts to attract the gay market, and this is evident in the hotel industry. The question remains, however, what does it take to become a truly gay friendly hotel? Do hoteliers know how to effectively target this market by offering features that are gay friendly? Is the perception of what is gay friendly the same for hotels and gay guests, or does a listening gap exist? Through gap analysis, this study looks at what hospitality managers know about their gay guests. By considering both service providers’ and gay guests’ perspectives (analyzing the “gay gap”), misinterpretation and inaccurate decision making can be avoided and resources can be utilized to more effectively target this potentially lucrative market.