This research deals with unexplored tourist segment, gay and lesbian families. The lack of literature addressed to this tourist segment is the main reason for choosing the topic. There are many studies dealing with family tourism and growing number of studies focused on gay tourism. However, gay families from tourism point of view have not been researched even though it is a growing market. Therefore, this thesis attempts to research specific characteristics of the segment and present how much this tourist segment differ in holiday decision making process.
The study looks for an answer to following questions looking into specific role distribution and strategies used to reach holiday decisions as well as into factors and preferences influencing such decisions:

1) What characterizes holiday decision making process in gay and lesbian families?
2) What is the role distribution and decision making strategies used in holiday decision making process in gay and lesbian families and why?
3) What are factors specific to gay and lesbian families which influence holiday decision making process before holidays?
4) What are factors specific to gay and lesbian families which influence holiday decision making process during holidays?

The first question is the main research question. The following questions are sub-questions supporting the research to lead to answering the main research question and bring even better understanding of decision making process in gay and lesbian families.

The thesis is an exploratory study which takes a constructivist approach and employs qualitative research methods for data collection. The analysed data is gathered through 5 individual in-depth interviews. Moreover, netnography is performed before these interviews for the purpose of preliminary research, which is used as a base for subsequent main research interviews. The results from individual interviews are analysed within the theoretical framework.

The analysis of gathered data shows that general theories dealing with holiday decision making in family tourism are more applicable to gay family tourist than theories dealing with holiday decision making process of gay and lesbian couples. Moreover, another finding brought by the analysis shows that there is a difference between decision making process, respectively used strategies, performed in lesbian and gay families. While lesbians tend to reach decisions together, in gay families it is the dominant partner who makes the main decisions. On the other hand, in both cases it is always a child who has the most influence on holiday decisions.

The thesis also reveals that a label “gay family friendly” is not important for gay and lesbian families. However, the factor which plays the influential role when choosing destination and accommodation is homophobic perception of the destination or accommodation provider. Gay and lesbian families rather look into whether the destination has anti-gay laws than whether it is gay family friendly.