The Black Travel Alliance (BTA) along with the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP) and the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators, and Developers (NABHOOD), have partnered with market research firm MMGY Global for a groundbreaking study to be titled The Black Traveler: Insights, Opportunities & Priorities.
Black Leisure Travelers
Publicly announced via press release from MMGY Global, The Black Traveler: Insights, Opportunities & Priorities study will be published in early November 2020 and provide insight based on a random sample of 4,500 Black leisure travelers from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom/Ireland.
“Black people are boldly traveling the globe, but unfortunately, when we look at the travel industry as a whole, we do not see ourselves – nor do we see an effort by the companies and services we support to make us feel welcomed and valued. This is why the Black Travel Alliance is partnering with MMGY Global to gather data to help right these wrongs. Not only will the study highlight the travel preferences, attitudes, behaviors, and needs of Black travelers, it will also offer insights on the size and value of this important market in North America and Europe. This will help us move beyond making the emotional and moral argument to presenting a strong business case for greater representation of Black people in all areas and levels of the travel industry,” said Black Travel Alliance President Martinique Lewis.
The Black Travel Alliance contributed heavily to the development of the survey suggesting questions to be included and provided feedback during four rounds of edits. A diverse group of industry experts on the study steering committee also provided input, including Black Travel Alliance research partner, Alana Dillette, Ph.D., who is a Co-Director and Research Fellow at Tourism Reset, a multi-university and interdisciplinary organization that studies race, ethnicity, and social equity in tourism. Dr. Dillette is also an Assistant Professor in the Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at San Diego State University. Stefanie Benjamin, Ph.D., Co-Director and Research Fellow at Tourism Reset also provided input on questions to be included in the Black Traveler study. Dr. Benjamin is also an Assistant Professor in the Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management department at the University of Tennessee.
Black Meeting Planners
Along with insight from the random sample of 4,500 Black leisure travelers, The Black Traveler: Insights, Opportunities & Priorities will also shed light on the challenges Black meeting planners face; identify the top priorities they have when booking groups of various sizes in different types of destinations, and the characteristics of a truly successful meeting or conference event according to these planners.”Since its founding, NCBMP has made a significant impact in the hospitality community in the pursuit of equity, relevancy and empowerment. Through this study, we will be able to strengthen and empower the collective voices of Black meetings professionals by providing a comprehensive analysis of our contribution to the meetings industry and providing solutions for the challenges we and those that we plan for face,” said Jason Dunn, Chairman of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP).
Black Travel Alliance Research Committee
The Black Traveler study is just one project being undertaken by the Black Travel Alliance Research Committee, which includes six of the organizations’ eighteen board members. The Black Travel Alliance also plans to do a formal study of their #PullUpForTravel campaign, which asked destination management organizations and travel brands to report on their Black KPIs related to employment, conferences/tradeshows, paid advertising/marketing campaigns, press and philanthropy. Historical research is also being undertaken on Black travelers through the ages.
According to Ursula Petula Barzey, who is Chair of the Black Travel Alliance Research Committee, “along with conducting data-driven research to learn more about the experiences, interests and wants of Black travelers today, we also have to educate ourselves and share knowledge about Black travelers of the past. It’s important to our mission of alliance, amplification, and accountability within the travel industry.”
Stay tuned to the Black Travel Alliance website and social media channels for further updates about the Black Traveler study. To get in touch with the Black Travel Alliance Research Committee, send an email to research@blacktravelalliance.com.
