Hear Euromonitor Speak at WTM Vision Florence

Date: May 18, 2012
Location: Fortezza da Basso, Florence, Italy
Description: Now in its 4th year, WTM Vision Conferences continue to offer the ultimate learning experience and unrivalled networking opportunities, best practice advice and case studies for travel and tourism experts. Euromonitor International’s Travel Industry Global report, valued at £1,000 will be given free of charge when you register.
Speaker: Angelo Rossini, Travel and Tourism Analyst at Euromonitor International, will present the trends and forecasts within the travel and tourism industry globally with a focus on the region.

For more information please visit the WTM Vision Florence event website.
Register for the event here.

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Top 10 Consumer Trends for 2012: Smartphone Universe

Displacing computers worldwide, in 2012, smartphones are reaching out to the lower end of the mass market so expect apps to reflect this.

This piece is the seventh in a weekly series of consumer comments exploring each of the trends Euromonitor International identified in the recent Top 10 Trends for 2012 article.

Worldwide, smartphones are the communications accessory of choice, including in emerging markets where consumers are taking up new, more basic models as this prop moves from being a luxury item to a necessary lifestyle aid. According to Euromonitor International data, annual smartphone sales surged from US$7.9 billion to US$83.3 billion between 2005 and 2010, with China surpassing the USA as the largest national market during 2009. Real global smartphone sales are forecast to reach US$137.4 billion in 2012. For many developed market consumers, PCs and laptops are beginning to take a backseat as most smartphone owners use these convenient devices to surf the internet and watch TV anywhere from parliaments to buses. New aids such as Hive Dock, designed to assist elderly people with visual impairments to use smartphones will expand the population of smartphone users still more. 2012 will see more consumers using their smartphones to make transactions, using mobile, cashless technologies from Near Field Communication to QR codes to personal card readers.

Ukraine's Population in Rapid Decline

With ultra-low fertility rates and high death rates, Ukraine will experience the single largest absolute population loss in Europe between 2011 and 2020. Although the resulting labour shortages will push up real wages and thus benefit consumers, lower competitiveness and output will adversely impact the country's long-term economic growth.

 

Population Growth Index in Selected Eastern European Countries: 1990-2020

Source: Euromonitor International from national statistics/UN

Bulgaria Has Highest Proportion of People at Risk of Poverty in the EU

Bulgaria has the highest share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the European Union (EU). Click to Tweet! The main reason for this has been rising unemployment and declining government expenditure on social security and welfare in the context of a contracting economy. The recovery of the Bulgarian economy will be highly dependent on the performance of the rest of the EU, on which it is heavily dependent for foreign investment, trade and remittances.

Persons at Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion: 2010

Russia's Communications Market Largest in Eastern Europe

Russia's large size, population and continued economic development made it the dominant communications market in Eastern Europe in 2011. Click to tweet!  The country's burgeoning high-income households and falling rates for telecom services are driving consumer market growth, while its urban centres and large swathes of territory offer communications businesses diverse opportunities. However, Internet access remains limited in rural areas, while high income inequality restricts consumer market potential.

Top 10 Consumer Trends for 2012:Tech Lifestyles Versus Slow Living and The Best of Both

Some consumers are embracing an 'always-on' lifestyle while others are trying to disengage.

This piece is the eighth in a weekly series of consumer comments exploring each of the trends Euromonitor International identified in the recent Top 10 Consumer Trends for 2012 article.

For the 2012 consumer – from toddlers upwards, technology is part of life with a lot of simultaneous tech consumption (watching TV and using a computer at the same time, for example). Access to the internet has extended to accompany people as they go about their daily lives, at work and on holiday. We're moving into a technology space where mobility is becoming less about devices, and more about the mist of data that we each generate with every interaction on the internet.

Datagraphic - Debt: The Developed, Developing Dichotomy

Debt (external and public) has been cited as a central factor dragging global economic growth down between 2008 and 2012. Following the 2007/2008 global financial crisis a major imbalance in debt levels between developed and developing economies emerged. High debt levels in developed economies have stifled growth as consumer expenditure, investor confidence and employment have declined, while lower levels of debt in developing economies have supported stronger growth.

Debt Levels in Selected Countries



Note: External and public debt figures for India and Brazil are equivalent.

Luxury Goods Diversification Creating Packaging Opportunities Worldwide

After the downturn in 2008, the global luxury goods industry has begun to recover. Whilst Western consumers are taking small steps back into luxury, the BRIC nations are generating new enthusiastic buyers of luxury brands. The global economic recovery also makes for a positive outlook for packaging; as the luxury market becomes increasingly diversified, the boundaries between luxury and mass are becoming increasingly blurred. This poses challenges but is also creating opportunities for packaging companies. 

For the full report, click here.

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Eastern Europe in 2030: The Future Demographic

In 2030, the population of Eastern Europe will fall to 316 million.  Click to tweet! The population is ageing rapidly. This is compounded by a falling birth rate and increasing life expectancy. Elderly population aged 65+ years will account for nearly 1-in-5 of the region’s total population in 2030. Moscow is the region’s biggest city and will be home to 5.9% of the region’s urban dwellers in 2030.

Download a sample of the report

Top 10 Consumer Trends for 2012: Reality Culture and Consumers

Scripted reality or celebrities living the dream - consumers are gripped, sharing views and being moved to change their purchasing behaviour.

This piece is the sixth in a weekly series of consumer comments exploring each of the trends Euromonitor International identified in the recent Top 10 Consumer Trends for 2012 article.

'Reality culture' has changed the paradigm of who we see as an opinion leader. Around the world – 'ordinary' people appearing in reality programming are claiming the spotlight of the 'talented' famous and consumer attention as well as lifestyle aspirations. Euromonitor International's Annual Study 2011 found that respondents rank celebrities slightly more highly than political or community leaders in terms of whom they most look up to. Acknowledging their grip on the population, US President Obama recently shared his sentiment on reality TV by saying: “I don't want my daughters watching 'The Kardashians' either.”