Travelers are Resilient, Except in the Face of Discrimination and Hate
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Travelers are Resilient, Except in the Face of Discrimination and Hate
MERCURYcsc explores how intrepid consumers navigate the travel landscape
Bozeman, Mont. — Today’s travel landscape is anything but smooth sailing. But the Adventurist, a group of intrepid travel and outdoor consumers, is willing to risk it. According to The Pulse, a quarterly research report by MERCURYcsc, Adventurists don’t shy away from traveling to destinations affected by terror, natural disasters, or potential health threats. Their only hang up? Discrimination and hate.
Driven by their passion for immersive experiences and their innate curiosity about the world, 90% of Adventurists would visit a destination that recently experienced a terror attack. Despite the inherent risks, Adventurists will yield their travel dollars in support of an affected population, attempting to maintain the status quo in defiance of destructive forces.
At a time when xenophobic rhetoric is pervading global politics, travel is a form of solidarity. It’s also a form of diplomacy. Adventurists are savvy and well-connected. They know that they can use their travel dollars in symbolic solidarity of a destination’s people by not traveling there.
Thirty-eight percent of Adventurists are likely to abstain from visiting a destination in symbolic protest of a local government’s laws, especially when misogyny, religious intolerance, and discrimination are in question.
Travel brands and destination marketing organizations (DMOs) aren’t immune to globally reaching events, but they should recognize current challenges–politics included. When a destination is affected by a security threat or a political misstep, brands should concentrate their efforts developing messaging that will resonate with their most resilient consumers.
MERCURYcsc’s Think T+O Forum, a proprietary panel of 1,600 Adventurists from across the world, gives us insights on how travel brands and DMOs can do just that in this edition of The Pulse.
About MERCURYcsc and Think T+O™:
MERCURYcsc is an award-winning communications agency based in Bozeman, Mont. Fueled by its Think T+O research forum, MERCURY successfully connects brands and destinations with people who value immersive experiences. Sign up to receive The Pulse: quarterly reports on travel and outdoor trends, offering actionable insights for brands and their marketing organizations.
Contact:
Molly Ambrogi-Yanson
Public Relations Strategist
molly.ambrogi@mercurycsc.com
