The Tolerance Niche: Gay tourism

Niche marketing has created its own niches of activity. Market segmentation, demographics, psychographics, lifestyle, aspirations, classifications for this and for that; they have all contributed to an industry for purveyors of niche market consultancy.

Inherent to the niche market are assumptions as to motivations and behaviour of the particular market. The niche might commonly be thought to comprise a small population of consumers, but this doesn't necessarily follow. The very size of a niche can make the assumptions seem even greater than what they would have been in the first place - generalisations and stereotypes.

Tourism is one huge non-niche market. But within its colossal scope, it consists of all manner of niches. A reason for ineffectiveness of much tourism marketing is that it can disregard this obvious truism. There is much to be said, therefore, for adopting niche strategies in marketing to specific tourism audiences and for avoiding or complementing the generic approach, e.g. the telly ad for a destination, which acts more as a form of brand awareness-raising rather than as a sales method.

Nevertheless, there are still the assumptions that fall out of all the niche classifications that have been purveyed over the years and which continue to be so. And there is one tourism market niche that gets more than its fair share of assumptions - LGBT (lesbian, gay and bisexual tourism).

One such assumption is that this is a market awash with spare cash, an assumption predicated on the fact that it does not, generally speaking, have families to have to pay for - the DINKy classification (dual income, no kids). The pink pound or euro is greatly coveted, but as with any part of the overall tourism market, there are gay tourists who are well off and those who aren't. A further assumption, made manifest by the emergence of Mallorca's only gay hotel thus far (in Playa de Palma), is that gay tourists wish to be corralled into an establishment with a rainbow flag over its door. Some might, some might not.

It is reassuring that there exist certain credible voices within the wider tourism community that are willing to take issue with some of the niche marketing clap-trap. The UN's World Tourism Organization (WTO) is one such voice. Its new report on LGBT makes the point that "LGBT people cannot be reduced to a stereotype"; just as any other "people" can't be similarly stereotyped. The report goes on to emphasise that this is a diverse market. It is a point that really shouldn't need to be made, as diversity is the very essence of tourism and tourists full stop, but it is a point that probably does need to be made. As Mallorca seeks to tap into the LGBT market ever more, it should avoid the trap of stereotypical assumptions.

The report makes a strong case for a country's social and political tolerance being beneficial in attracting LGBT. In this context, it refers to Spain. I quote: "The approval of legislation in favour of same-sex couples sends a powerful brand image of tolerance, progress and open-mindedness, resulting in an increase in LGBT visitors, among others." Spanish experience demonstrates this clearly, the report concludes.

Parts of Spain, such as Ibiza, attracted good numbers of gay tourists before legislative changes, e.g. the legalisation of gay marriage, so the legal framework is important only up to a point. Of arguably greater importance, however, would be were there moves to reverse legislation. Which puts Spain and Mallorca very much in the frame.

Spain features heavily in the WTO report. The now former director-general of Turespaña, Antonio Bernabé, writes about a Spanish society in which change has gone deeper than just legislation introduced by the Zapatero administration. He speaks of a "plural society", "a country with an open mind and without prejudice", "tolerant and welcoming".

The thing is that there is no longer a Zapatero administration. There is instead a Catholic Church seeking to reassert its authority and a ruling party with an altogether different attitude to social matters. The Justice Minister, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, has said that he considers there to be no constitutional problem with the law that permitted same-sex marriage. Which doesn't amount to his agreeing with the law, and there remains an appeal to be heard by the constitutional court that it is unconstitutional. Were it to be successful, then the fine words from Turespaña would be undermined.

It might not matter, but as LGBT is meant to be such an increasingly important part of the tourism mix for Mallorca and for Spain as a whole, it might just matter. There is such a thing as bad publicity: and bad publicity, regardless of the niche.


Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.