The 2008 WTM Global Trends report was launched today at World Travel Market 2008 at the height of the biggest financial turmoil the travel industry has faced for some time. The report by global intelligence firm Euromonitor International highlights key trends in the travel and tourism industry worldwide. These seven trends of the future provide insight into how the industry can entice the next generation of travellers, despite the current economic uncertainty...

Many consumers seem to have a love-hate relationship with the USA. One South African participant in a Harvard Business School (HBS) study confessed: “I love their products, but I don't love the country.” A Filipino contributor admitted: “I used to go on anti-American rallies when I was a student, but I never thought about the [American] brand of clothes or shoes I wore!”...

The world is experiencing a marked shift in demographics. High levels of population growth in developing regions such as Asia Pacific, Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean means countries here have rising proportions of youth (aged 0-14). By contrast, ageing populations in more developed regions such as North America and Western Europe means that the youth population in these countries is shrinking...