On the heels of its study on the needs and concerns of Black travelers, integrated marketing firm MMGY Global will conduct a second study on underrepresented travelers, this time turning its lens toward Latinx travelers.
The first-of-its-kind study, which will be titled “Latinx U.S. Travelers: Observations and Insights on Themes of Diaspora and Intersectionality,” will explore how intersectionality (the ways in which different identities combine, overlap or intersect) and the diaspora (people living far from their ancestral homeland) “shape the needs, concerns and behaviors” of the Latinx community, according to a statement from MMGY. (Editor’s note: Latinx is a gender-neutral term for people who have Latin American heritage.)
Results will be made available for purchase this summer, and MMGY hopes its new series of custom research reports will help foster a more inclusive travel industry, according to Clayton Reid, CEO of MMGY.
“All indicators point to the Latinx community growing further and shifting its (or their) consumer demand trends,” he said. “This research will help marketers and travel providers more thoughtfully approach how they communicate with Latinx travelers and tailor products and services to their specific needs. It is crucial to observe insights around identity that have not yet been evaluated in our industry.”
The results of the first study — The Black Traveler: Insights, Opportunities & Priorities — was completed in January and revealed that Black travelers within the U.S. spend more than $129 billion on travel annually and showed that, despite having a strong intent to travel, respondents also report feeling unsafe and unwelcome during travel. As a result of the study, two grant programs were established and more than $100,000 has been raised.
For this next study on Latinx travelers, all profits will go toward Travel Unity, a nonprofit focused on increasing diversity in the world of travel. Results will incorporate data profiling Latinx leisure travelers within the U.S., will provide an accurate measure of the community’s spending power and will offer custom insight on the current opinions and attitudes of more than 3,000 people across the country.
People will come away with an understanding that we are not a monolithic group — not one singular voice and behavior — and that we contribute a great deal as members of both the traveling public and the travel industry.
Danny Guerrero, vice president of North America strategy for MMGY and Travel Unity members Roni Weiss and Jeannette Ceja will serve as the survey’s co-chairs. Additionally, a committee of Latinx travel industry professionals (and those from other diverse heritages) have volunteered to lend their time and perspective to inform the study, including from brands such as LATAM Airlines, AMResorts, Ensemble Travel Group, Hilton Destinations International and more.
"As a Latina travel journalist who is on the Board of Directors at Travel Unity, I cannot express enough how much this study is needed to shed more light on the Latinx community,” said Jeannette Ceja, vice president of the board of directors. “People will come away with an understanding that we are not a monolithic group — not one singular voice and behavior — and that we contribute a great deal as members of both the traveling public and the travel industry. It is an honor to be a part of this movement for Latinx travelers."
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