A city’s gay-friendly rep draws gay tourist dollars

Nearly half of all gay men (48 percent) and lesbians (47 percent) surveyed in the U.S. say that a destination’s gay-friendliness is important to them when making leisure travel choices. In fact, over one-quarter of gay men (27 percent) and lesbians (28 percent) say gay-friendliness is “extremely” or “very important” as a consideration in travel planning, according to a national survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association (TIA) in partnership with Harris Interactive, Rochester, N.Y., and Witeck-Combs Communications Inc., Washington, D.C. “While we’ve known the importance of the GLBT travel market for some time, this study really underscores the tremendous economic potential of the market to the travel industry,” says Laura Mandala, vice president of research for the TIA. “This data will be invaluable as the industry increases its efforts to reach out to this historically underserved travel segment.”
In addition, majorities of gay men (53 percent) and lesbians (69 percent) report that a place generally identified as safe and free from intimidation and threats - especially places “where they can hold their partner’s hand in public” - is one of the top three ways they consider a destination as gay-friendly. “Gay-friendliness is frequently mentioned as a litmus test for how GLBT travelers and consumers favor destinations, travel brands and services. We find they are not looking for special treatment but instead expecting consideration and equal respect given all customers,” says Bob Witeck, CEO of Witeck-Combs Communications.
Four out of 10 gay men (40 percent) and lesbians (40 percent) also recognize a gay-friendly environment if the city or community “is known to be culturally welcoming and to support diversity and GLBT civil rights.” Positive word-of-mouth is a key consideration for both gays and lesbians, and gay men (33 percent) and lesbians (18 percent) also cite “gay nightlife, gay clubs and bars” as one of their top three considerations for gay friendliness.
The national online survey was conducted among 2,020 self-identified U.S. GLBT adult travelers (ages 21 and older) who have taken at least one leisure trip within the past 12 months and among 1,010 U.S. adults who self-identified as heterosexual and who also have taken at least one leisure trip in the past year. Both the GLBT and heterosexual adults were randomly invited from among the overall Harris Interactive online panel of respondents to participate in the survey.
The GLBT respondents also were invited to state, from among given choices, which U.S. and Canadian destinations are gay-friendly. Top gay-friendly U.S. destinations named by the panelists (in order) include: San Francisco (76 percent), Key West, Fla. (57 percent), New York City (51 percent), Fire Island, N.Y. (48 percent), Provincetown, Mass. (46 percent), Los Angeles (38 percent), Miami/South Beach, Fla. (37 percent), Las Vegas (35 percent), New Orleans (34 percent), Palm Springs/Palm Desert, Calif. (33 percent), Boston (29 percent), Chicago (29 percent), Fort Lauderdale/Wilton Manors, Fla. (29 percent), San Diego (29 percent), Seattle/Bellevue, Wash. (27 percent), Washington, D.C. (23 percent), Honolulu (22 percent), Palm Beach/West Palm/Boca Raton, Fla. (20 percent), Portland, Ore. (18 percent), Philadelphia (17 percent), Rehoboth Beach, Del. (17 percent) and Providence, R.I. (6 percent).
The top-10 gay-friendly Canadian destinations named by the U.S. respondents in the survey include: Montreal (44 percent), Toronto (39 percent), Vancouver (38 percent), Quebec City (20 percent), Victoria, B.C. (16 percent), Niagara Falls, Ont. (15 percent), Ottawa (12 percent), Calgary (9 percent), Halifax (6 percent) and Prince Edward Island (6 percent).
The study also disclosed that gay men, whether traveling alone or in groups, tend to spend more on trips than lesbians and heterosexuals, as well as for airfare and car rentals. On their most recent trip, traveling alone, gay men on average reported that they spent nearly a third more on their total trip expenses ($800 on average) than did heterosexuals traveling alone ($540 on average). When gay men reported their last trip traveling as a group, the average spending of their entire party was $3,070, which was more than reported by heterosexual groups ($2,870) or lesbians traveling together ($2,740). For more information contact the TIA’s Valerie Hutchinson at 202-218-3630 or at vhutchinson@tia.org.

Women entrepreneurs want to be their own boss

Women are opening businesses in record numbers and with increasing success: Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of women-owned businesses are more than five years old, with almost half (45 percent) having been in operation for more than 10 years, according to the results of a MasterCard Worldwide survey. The second annual Women in Small Business survey, conducted by Ipsos on behalf of MasterCard, found 42 percent of women entrepreneurs make more than half of their purchases with a credit or debit card.
Women small-business owners are a driving force in the U.S. economy. According to a study conducted between 1997 and 2006 by the Center for Women’s Business Research, the number of majority women-owned firms increased from 5.4 to 7.7 million, an increase of 42 percent, which represents an increase almost double that of all firms (23 percent).
The MasterCard survey explored the needs and challenges facing women small-business owners in trying to establish and run successful businesses, including the reasons why they start their own business and how they pay for business-related expenses.
The use of business credit and debit cards among women small-business owners is almost ubiquitous. Most hold either a credit (52 percent) or a debit card (30 percent), while 19 percent hold both. A full 42 percent of women entrepreneurs use payment cards to make more than half of their purchases.
More than half (53 percent) of women small-business owners say they completely separate personal and business finances while 34 percent say that they do overlap to some degree.
One-third (33 percent) of women small-business owners use a money management software application to handle their finances, an increase from 27 percent reported in 2005. This reflects a shift from 2005 when women business owners looked to accountants as the No. 1 method for financial management.
The primary motivator for women to start their own business is the desire to be their own boss (33 percent). This is followed by the opportunity to generate household income (21 percent), have more schedule flexibility (19 percent) and more time for family and personal interests (17 percent). These top reasons are relatively unchanged from 2005.
Women working full-time are more motivated by a desire to be their own boss (41 percent), while key motivators for women working part-time include a desire for flexibility in their schedule (29 percent) and having more time for family and personal interests (24 percent).
The main challenges women entrepreneurs said they face are stretching themselves across multiple roles and projects (25 percent), health care costs (18 percent), balancing family and work (14 percent) and effectively managing cash flow (7 percent).
The MasterCard Worldwide survey, conducted by Ipsos between August 30-September 5, 2006, polled 300 women small-business owners from around the country and has a margin of error of ±5.7 percent quoted at the 95 percent confidence level. For more information visit www.mastercardworldwide.com.

Study puts Boomers into five distinct groups

A study by Boston research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey (CMB), in conjunction with Arnold Worldwide, shows that treating the Boomer generation as only one or two groups is a mistake that oversimplifies their robust differences. “For years, companies have been marketing their products to the Baby Boomer generation as if it were a homogeneous group,” says Mark Doherty, vice president of Chadwick Martin Bailey. “Our research shows that marketers can identify more substantive, actionable and strategic differences by segmenting the generation into five subgroups based on common attitudes, behaviors and demographics.”
CMB and Arnold Worldwide have identified the following five distinct Boomer subgroups:

  • Status Seekers: The largest segment identified, Status Seekers make up 26 percent of Boomers. The group is characterized as materialistic and feels that money is the best measure of success. They enjoy the finer things in life and are willing to pay more for brand names. Thirty-one percent of Status Seekers drive a vehicle they feel makes a statement about their personality and style.
  • Traditionalists: This group accounts for 23 percent of Boomers. Traditionalists are defined by their conservative political, economic and social views. They have traditional attitudes and belief systems, are known for following the rules and are smart consumers (interested in value, trust and variety). Forty-five percent of Traditionalists report that they’ll go out of their way to buy American-made products.
  • Blue Collar Skeptics: 18 percent of Boomers fall into this group. The Blue Collar Skeptics are just that - skeptics. They are hesitant to trust big businesses and are concerned about the amount of information online. As they fall on the low end of the Boomer income bracket, this group is more stressed about time and money than the rest of their generation: 68 percent of Blue Collar Skeptics fear they haven’t saved enough money for retirement.
  • Activists: The most politically and socially active segment, 17 percent of Boomers are Activists. They are generally liberal and also donate a significant amount of time and money to charity. Activists are concerned about the environment, are brand-loyal and are financially smart. Thirty-seven percent of Activists describe themselves as green consumers (i.e., buying hybrid cars, recycling, etc).
  • Achievers: The minority of Boomers, just 16 percent, fall into the Achiever category. This group adopts technology early and relies on it heavily. They are focused on success and wealth and are heavily involved in social activities. Twenty-four percent of Achievers claim to be the first among their friends to have new gadgets and devices.

In addition to the segments identified above, the CMB study exposed these common misperceptions of the Baby Boomer generation:

  • More than 70 percent of Boomers were never actually politically active in the ’60s and ’70s. For example, only 6 percent claim to have been active participants in historic movements such as civil rights, anti-war and women’s rights; and only 15 percent claim to have participated in demonstrations or protests.
  • While only one in five Boomers consider themselves a “knowledgeable source of information for new technologies,” certain portions of the Boomer population are much more tech-adept than previously believed. Achievers, for example, own significantly more technology devices than their counterparts and they consistently rely on technology.

For the purposes of this study, CMB surveyed 1,000 Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964. For more information contact Josh Mendelsohn at jmendelsohn@cmbinfo.com.

Retirement planning: don’t do what I did

In a classic case of “Do as I say, not as I do,” a nationwide survey of pre-retirees offers younger generations a glimpse of what Baby Boomers might do differently if they could turn back the clock and start their retirement planning over.
According to the survey of 2,500 adults, ages 45-64, conducted for Minneapolis-based Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, 71 percent of respondents wished they had started saving for retirement when they had their first full-time job, and a whopping 86 percent would advise younger generations to start saving as soon as possible. In addition, 61 percent would invest $1 million of unexpected income in retirement savings rather than start a business, buy a luxury home or go on a shopping spree.
The Thrivent Financial survey looked at pre-retirees’ visions of retirement. It revealed a startling disparity between pre-retirees’ ideal plans and their actual retirement readiness. Although the majority of pre-retirees (67 percent) anticipate that they will either enjoy a lifestyle similar to life now - or even thrive in retirement - they admit to wishing they were better prepared.
According to the survey, most pre-retirees (35 percent) ranked “starting to save and invest too late in life” as the No. 1 obstacle that keeps them from saving more money for retirement. Other top-ranking obstacles included the cost of health care or health insurance (32 percent), a low-paying job (29 percent) and credit card debt (28 percent).
Beyond saving earlier, the advice most offered to younger generations by pre-retirees included:

  • Don’t procrastinate - retirement will come sooner than you think (57 percent).
  • Plan for the unexpected (57 percent).
  • Seek professional help - retirement will come sooner than you think (32 percent).

While Boomers offered earnest advice to younger generations on their impending retirement, how they are preparing for their own retirement also made a resounding statement. Despite well over half (56 percent) of pre-retirees expecting to enjoy a standard of living similar to or better than their own parents, 71 percent of respondents feel a shortage of money in retirement may prevent their plans.
While many factors contribute to pre-retirees’ guarded optimism about retirement, a lack of proactive planning and saving is the greatest cause for concern. The survey also found that:

  • One in four (24 percent) pre-retirees haven’t begun saving for retirement and one in five (19 percent) didn’t start until they were at least 45 years old.
  • Fifty-nine percent have neither gone through a formal retirement planning process with a financial professional nor done serious calculations on their own.
  • Forty-one percent of respondents are worried about the effect of health care costs on their retirement savings.

While the advice pre-retirees gave may sound like more of a warning and the example they set a cautionary tale, Boomers are quick to point out that they are looking forward to retirement. For example, like a soundtrack to their lives, they likened their outlook on retirement to memorable song titles. Thirty-five percent say the Beatles’ “The Long and Winding Road” most closely resembles their vision of retirement. However, 21 percent of pre-retirees compared retiring to another ‘70s hit - “Stayin’ Alive” - as a testament to the apprehension they feel about getting by.
Additionally, 36 percent say planning for retirement is like a “walk in the park.” Most expect to be able to travel (45 percent), spend more time with children and grandchildren (39 percent) or take up a new hobby or activity (23 percent).
Data for this survey were collected by the Harris Interactive Service Bureau (HISB) on behalf of Action Marketing Research. HISB was responsible for collection of the online data and demographic weighting only. Action Marketing Research was responsible for the survey design and was solely responsible for data analysis. HISB collected data September 26 to October 7, 2006, among a nationwide cross section of 2,500 U.S. adults age 45 to 64, of whom 1,213 were men and 1,287 were women.

Teens have friends and e-friends

For today’s teens, friendships are developed in areas beyond the school walls or their neighborhoods. E-mail and social networking sites such as MySpace, Sconex and Facebook allow young people to expand their social connections by contacting and becoming friends with people who they have not necessarily met in person.
A study by New York-based Alloy Media + Marketing and Harris Interactive, Rochester, N.Y., shows that new technologies shift the means of communication across this digital generation, as teens come to define their closest circles by those they are connected with both online and offline.
Online social networks are providing fertile ground for teens to practice social behaviors, to try out different personas in their exploration for identity, and to nurture friendships. In some cases, online social networks allow for more intimate connections than offline relationships. The study depicts a generation more at ease through virtual communication, with many reporting they are more likely to reveal their true selves and to share more personal information with friends online than face-to-face.
“The Internet plays an increasingly important role in kids’ friendships. Social networking Web sites aid in youth development by providing an arena to build meaningful relationships, establish independence, strengthen their identity and become connected to a community that is not limited to their physical community,” says Suzanne Martin, research manager, youth and education research, Harris Interactive.
Friendships play an increasingly important role in young people’s lives as they grow up. While more tweens (ages 8 to 12) prefer spending time with their parents than with their friends (58 percent vs. 31 percent), by the teen years (ages 13 to 17), this preference has dramatically reversed. More than twice as many teens say they prefer spending time with their friends than with their parents (56 percent vs. 22 percent).
Youth connect with each other in a variety of ways and favor certain means of connecting over others. Both tweens and teens are most likely to spend time with their friends in school and outside of school, by getting together with friends in person and speaking to them on the telephone. Teens are much greater users of e-mail or instant messaging (IM) (74 percent vs. 26 percent) and text messaging (37 percent vs. 9 percent) than their tween counterparts.
Talking to friends in person is the most-cited favorite way for teens to stay in touch (53 percent); however this preference is strikingly higher among tweens (81 percent). Fewer teens and tweens favor staying in touch with their friends through technologies such as IM (16 percent vs. 2 percent), cell phones (11 percent vs. 3 percent), e-mail (4 percent vs. 1 percent) and text messaging (4 percent vs. <1 percent). Tweens are more likely than teens to favor landline phones as a way to stay in touch with their friends (12 percent vs. 8 percent).
Social circles have widened in the age of digital media, causing a shift in perception of social status among today’s youth. The number of friends young people attract to their social network profiles is an indicator of their status among peers. Most teens (59 percent) report having between one and 10 friends while more tweens (69 percent) report having that many friends. However, the number of friends appears to increase when the term “friend” is put in the context of an online profile or IM buddy list. Teens who have these types of lists have an average of 75 people on their online profile, 52 on their IM buddy list, 39 on their e-mail contact list and 38 contacts on their cell phone.
“Today’s teens look to their friends above any other influence for guidance and approval. The extensive accessibility to ‘friends’ in the current media environment and the evolving definition of friend affords peer networks greater import than ever,” says Samantha Skey, senior vice president, strategic marketing, Alloy Media + Marketing. “The shift extends to brands endeavoring to reach this influential audience as advertisers look to use the power of youth connectivity - and the evolving definition of friend - to enable online propagation of their messages.”
For many teens, meeting in person is not a prerequisite for being considered a friend. Online connections have provided a socially accepted platform for teens to form friendships. More than one-third of teens (36 percent) have friends they’ve never met in person but have only “talked to” online. This is four times the number of tweens who have such friendships (8 percent). However, most teens use the Internet to augment relationships they have in the real world. Nearly nine in 10 (87 percent) have friends whom they talk to both in person and online; this is more than the number of teens who have friends whom they only talk to in person/on the phone (and never talk to online) (79 percent).
Friendships that are nurtured in both the real and virtual worlds define a teen’s closest connections, depicting relationships that are more longstanding and intimate than those that are carried out in only one or the other. Nine in 10 teens (89 percent) who have friends that they talk to both in-person and online have known them for at least one year, and three-quarters (77 percent) consider these friends to be extremely or very close. In contrast, friendships that exist only in the real world are slightly less likely to be of such long standing: 82 percent report that they have known these friends at least a year.
But perhaps of more interest, fewer teens describe “in person-only” friendships as close, compared to those with friends to whom they maintain ties both in person and online. Only half (52 percent) of teens describe these friendships as extremely or very close. Friendships that exist only online are more recent, and thus not surprisingly, less close. Fifty-one percent of teens who have friends to whom they only talk online say they have known these friends for six months or less, and two-thirds (66 percent) describe these friendships as not at all or somewhat close. As these data show, even for teens, friendships that exist only online do not trump those with people they know in the real world as well.
For some teens, communicating online allows them to show more of their true selves. Three in 10 teens say they can share more with a friend online (30 percent) and that they are more honest when they talk to friends online (29 percent). Online friendships play different roles for teens and tweens. A majority of teens (62 percent), compared to only 49 percent of tweens, report that talking to their friends online makes them feel that they are always connected. Online friendships for tweens are as much an emblem of growing up. Half of tweens (52 percent), versus only 34 percent of teens, say that talking to their friends online makes them feel cool.
For young people, a friend is “someone I care about who I can talk to about anything,” “someone who cares about me,” “someone who is always there for you and you always hang out with,” and “someone you can trust.” For most teens, e-mail, IM and social networking sites provide another way to nurture friendships with people they know in person as well. But the length of a friendship is also an important factor in its closeness. Since many of teens’ online-only friendships are more recent, only time will tell how those will evolve. For more information visit www.harrisinteractive.com.