Black Travelers Want Authentic Experiences, Study Suggests [Video]

After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, when travel brands – including Delta Air Lines, Hilton and Enterprise – pronounced their support for diversity and the Black Lives Matter movement, our research group was motivated to conduct a study that collected data of the travel experiences of more than 5,000 Black people and people of color.

Our work, published in Afar magazine and Tourism Geographies, found that Black travelers expressed dissatisfaction with how the travel industry promotes itself as inclusive.

Authenticity matters

Black travelers want more genuine and authentic engagement and representation, we found, that showcases an investment in the Black community by partnering with Black-owned travel businesses, guides and experiences.

We conducted in-depth interviews with several of the people who provided data to us. Those we interviewed told us plainly that they are weary of being perceived as a single, uniform entity. They want …