The 2020 Census marked a turning point toward a multicultural America: While (non-Hispanic) White Americans still accounted for a majority—61.6 percent—of the US population, population growth over the previous decade was fueled nearly entirely by non-White minority groups, with Hispanic/Latino Americans alone accounting for more than half of growth between 2010-20.

"More than half of America's youth now identify as non-White," said Ivan Pollard, Center Leader, Marketing & Communications at The Conference Board. "But this doesn't mean ethnicity—or any one facet of demography—is destiny. To the contrary, brands succeed by grasping the complex intersection of race, ethnicity, age, gender, income, and more that define consumer identity—and shape consumer choices."

Enter the latest research in The Conference Board Multicultural Consumer Survey series. To understand How Ethnic Identity Reflects In Purchases of Services, the project surveyed 2,000 multicultural US households to uncover their attitudes, preferences, and consumption behaviors—including considerations regarding identity expression and sustainability in travel decisions. It is the second in a series of multicultural consumer surveys, following 2021's comprehensive report on goods.

"The data we gathered provide insights for how every business needs to think about engaging their customers in a demographically diverse America," Pollard added. "In the realm of services, these diversifying attitudes impact everything from travel plans and leisure activities to restaurants, healthcare, financial services, education, childcare, pet care, fitness, and more—including the online and brick-and-mortar shopping channels."