Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544721
B M & T ••• May/June 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 26 annual U.S. Black leisure trav- el market was recently valued at $145 billion, while African-American meeting groups spend an average of more than $2 mil- lion a year on their events, with 7% spending upwards of $5 million. Those findings are from the 2025 MMGY Travel Intelligence Portrait of Black Travelers in America study, presented in partnership with the Black Travel Alliance and the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals. The report also reveals that 79% of Black travelers surveyed rank safety and a wel- coming atmosphere as highly important influ- ences on their travel choices. Yet research by Black Meetings & Tourism has found that less than 4% of the approximately 700 U.S. convention and visi- tors bureaus advertise with Black media to tar- get the African-American market. The per- centage is even lower when it comes to hotels, airlines, cruise ships and other travel-related entities. Meanwhile, leisure and meeting trav- elers still have stories to tell about places where they feel the welcome mat has been pulled up when they arrive. When African-American travelers perceive a lack of interest in their inclusion from one desti- nation, they go and spend elsewhere. So how can destinations, state tourism departments, hotel brands, restaurants and other industry members avoid missing out on such a valuable market? We asked some experts on the front- lines of the industry what it takes to effectively reach African-American and other ethnic mar- kets to garner a greater share of their meetings and leisure travel business. We also talked about some of the success stories resulting from their efforts to capture the ethnic market, as well as initiatives to support diverse industry members in their local com- munities and create a more inclusive industry workforce. Why the Ethnic Market Matters Along with the economic advantage of appreciating the buying power and influence that a diverse travel market represents, there are other good reasons for paying attention to the ethnic market, says Elliott Ferguson, President/CEO of Destination DC . "Organizations that embrace inclusion per- form better," Ferguson says. "Just as important, the next generation of talent expects it. Destinations that take this seriously will be more competitive and more relevant." So why don't more destinations invest in outreach to the African-American market and other segments of the ethnic market? Rickey Thigpen, President/CEO of Visit Jackson, says there are sometimes "assumptions that when you advertise in a mainstream publication, you're probably covering everyone, and that's not the case." Thigpen adds that destination marketers need to identify the publications that various markets read most and measure the ROI from advertising with them. He says that kind quanti- BY SONYA STINSON