Diversity in Motion: Exploring LGBTQ+ Tourism Preferences

Abstract

This study investigates tourism preferences across gender identities and sexual orientations within Spain’s LGBTQ+ community (n = 546). Guided by an intersectional theoretical framework, the research challenges traditional segmentation models in LGBTQ+ tourism that prioritise sexual orientation while neglecting the influence of gender identity. Drawing from debates in queer theory and gendered leisure studies, it positions tourism as a space where identity is expressed, negotiated, and often constrained by social norms. Data were collected through an online survey and analysed using the Rao-Scott corrected chi-square test and Cramér’s V to examine associations between gender/sexual identity and ten tourism types. Findings reveal that cisgender men and trans women are overrepresented in nightlife tourism, while trans individuals show lower participation in traditional tourism, suggesting potential barriers to inclusion. Lesbian women display a preference for culturally conventional tourism, and gay men are overrepresented in LGBTQ+ tourism. Non-binary participants exhibit diverse patterns, engaging more frequently in nature-based and art-related tourism. These results offer empirical support for a more nuanced, identity-aware understanding of LGBTQ+ tourism behaviour. They further highlight the imperative to incorporate gender-diverse perspectives into destination marketing, product development, and service design. By foregrounding the complexity of LGBTQ+ identities, the study contributes to advancing inclusive tourism scholarship and practice and sets a precedent for future research that engages more deeply with underrepresented identities in the tourism sector.