Hispanics are a potentially lucrative segment of the U.S. population for travel agents, according to a recent study.
They travel in larger groups than the general population, spend more and enjoy lots of shopping and nightlife, said Laura Mandala, managing director of Mandala Research, a travel research firm.
This week, Mandala will present her findings, derived from a survey of 8,000 Hispanics across the U.S., in an ASTA webinar, “Understanding the U.S. Hispanic Traveler.” The session is scheduled for Jan. 25 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern and is part of a series of webinars on important new market segments.
“This is really an opportunity to capture a growing market,” Mandala said. “About one quarter of this market is interested in luxury products and services. They really like a diverse range of activities, especially shopping and entertainment such as casinos, concerts, music festivals and dancing.”
The factor that makes Hispanics especially attractive to travel sellers is that they like to travel in groups, Mandala said. Some 31% travel in a group of four or more, compared with 25% for the general population. Hispanics also are more likely to travel with children and to travel with more than two adults than the general population.
“When they travel, they often include siblings and grandparents, so often it’s a large family trip,” she said. Mandala’s studies show that Hispanics gather travel information from family and friends more than any other source, which could mean that agents who are Hispanic themselves or speak Spanish may have an easier time forming business relationships with Hispanic travelers, she said.
According to the study, Hispanics tend to spend a bit more per person per trip than the general population — $785 per person, compared with $708 — and they spend more on lodging and entertainment. The three top U.S. travel destinations for Hispanics are California, Texas and Florida. For international destinations, Mexico is the top choice, followed by the Caribbean.
“It’s an attractive market and, if you go after them, just by the sheer size of the market and their spending, it will be a lucrative opportunity,” Mandala said.
The webinar is free for ASTA members, $79 for nonmembers. For more information, see www.asta.org.