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destinations for South Africans i.e. the UK and

the US staying with friends and family is the
primary choice of accommodation. Over one half
(56%) of South Africans stayed with relatives and
friends while on holiday in the UK in 2002-2005.
This means that marketing to ethnic groups such
as Africans or Asians in the UK or US is just as
important as marketing to families directly. As
family and friends also influence the actions that
their house guests participate in.
1.6.5

Experience New Cultures

Many of the emerging markets possess a

distinctive culture from western society and
therefore many travellers from these markets are
curious to learn about and experience other
cultures that are different from their own.
Traditionally, mature markets have travelled from
North to South in search of warmer climates.
However the new emerging markets are
predominantly travelling from east to west in
search of new cultural experiences.
Travel Flows
Traditional Markets

Emerging Markets

North to South

East to West

To visit a destination

To experience a destination

1.6.6

Visa Requirements

The visa requirements of emerging markets are

rather strict compared to traditional markets.
Travellers from traditional markets like USA,
UK, Germany, France, Spain do not require visas
to visit many destinations. Europeans have free
mobility to other European destinations. And
even when a visa is required, there is little or no
hassle involved in obtaining one.

Visa restrictions limit travel

flows, particularly to the US

The picture is different for emerging markets.

Many are deemed to be developing countries and
issues of illegal immigration, poverty and crime

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Travel and Tourisms Top Ten Emerging Markets

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make it difficult for many developed countries to

freely open their doors to these travellers. To add
insult to injury, even source countries impose
restrictions on their residents and citizens. This is
so for China.
Chinese leisure tourists are
officially allowed to travel (minimum group size
of five) to countries that have been granted
Approved Destination Status (ADS). Visas are
required for nearly all countries, but these are
usually procured via the tour company. In the
case of those European countries that have
implemented the Schengen Agreement, a visa for
one country is valid for all of them. As a result,
most tours to Europe tend to stay within the
Schengen region to avoid the problem of
obtaining a second visa. This puts non-Schengen
countries, such as the UK and Ireland (for which
additional visas are required) at a disadvantage.
Obtaining visa for travel abroad continues to be a
disincentive for travel to many destinations. The
Government of India for instance, has bilateral
agreement with 41 countries for which no visa is
required for a period ranging from 30 to 90 days.
However this facility is confined only to
diplomatic and official passport holders.
Eastern Europeans are fortunate, as are Brazilians,
who do not require visas to visit many
destinations (except the USA). The easing of visa
requirements will certainly help to increase travel
flows from emerging markets.
1.6.7

Keen for Green?

Travellers from emerging markets are relatively

new to the travel and tourism scene and, as such
there are no clearly identified and anchored
trends. However, there are a number of issues
that tourism suppliers need to consider. Are
emerging-market travellers new tourists or are
they old tourists that ascribe to mass tourism?
Is sustainability and responsible tourism on their
minds? Do they even care about their impact on
the environment or the other cultures and
communities they come in contact with? These

Travel and Tourisms Top Ten Emerging Markets

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and other questions need to be critically addressed

in order to understand the psyche of these
travellers. This is important for marketing plans
and creating brands that are tailored to the needs
of these emerging travellers.
Emerging markets are not associated with
'ethicals', or consumers demanding the greening
of brands. This is a 'privilege' of developed
economy consumers, satiated by consumption
levels, and guilt driven to spend on greener
products. Significantly, with the environment
being in the forefront of globalisation, growing
consumer concerns now embedded in the greener
business plans of multinationals, are cascading
onto emerging market turfs. This promises to
open up possibilities for these consumers. Also, in
emerging markets, it is the new 'affluentials' that
show the most 'green potential'. It is these new
'affluentials' who are driving travel and tourism
demand.
Moreover, as these travellers move around the
globe they will encounter new cultures and
ideologies. The green culture can therefore be
learnt and even adopted by these travellers, which
will then overflow onto friends and family
members when they return home.
With developing countries poorer than developed
ones, greener consumers and even greener
companies may not be the priority for now. This
will not be the case for too long though, as global
warming and the degradation of the environment
are gaining awareness in many emerging markets.
There were Live Earth concerts in Shanghai and
Rio (watched by 37% of all Brazilian
households).
Stirrings rather than waves characterise the green
consciousness of developing-market consumers.
As in the West, where hyper consumerism is
pass, wealthier, globally-networked emerging
market consumers are becoming more concerned
about the consequences of their own and global
consumption.

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The Times of India, in a September 2007 article,

'How green is my wardrobe?' reports that ecofriendly fashion is no longer considered dull and
boring among Indian consumers, but has made the
leap from hippy to hip. Buyers are willing to
spend big bucks on these ranges. Most people
wouldn't mind the difference in price because
they'd feel they are saving the environment in
some way. Organic fashion designer Deepika
Govind sees sensitivity towards the environment
as a fashionable trend in itself. And one in every
two Indian managers consider greening factors to
be crucial, significantly higher than their Chinese
counterparts (26%), according to the Harris
Interactive poll, 2007. This mentality is bound to
spill over into the travel and tourism industry.
A snapshot of the key characteristics of the top
emerging travel and tourism markets is illustrated
in the table overleaf.

Travel and Tourisms Top Ten Emerging Markets

43

28-45 yrs: 48%

35-44 yrs -32%

Brazil

China

Travel party
Alone 49%
Group 27%

Alone 40%
Group 45%

Internet
42.6 million

210 million

Holiday 44%
Business-19%
Other 23%

Poland

Travel & Tourisms Top Ten Emerging Markets

Holiday 89.7%
Business-4.7%
Other 5.6%

Moldova

35-44 men
16-24 women

11.4 million

Alone 49% *
Group 38%

Hungary

0.729
million

Alone 49%
Group 17%

3.0 million

25-34 yrs *

Czech Rep.

Holiday 73.3%
Business-10.3%
Other 16.4%

Alone 52%
Group 32%

2.2 million
5.1 million

25-34 yrs: 43%

Bulgaria

5.5 million
Holiday 21%
Business 43%
VFR 24%

Holiday 53%
Business 12%
VFR 23%

Holiday 63%
Business 33%
VFR 4%

Purpose of
Visit

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1-3 nights (38%)

4-15 nights
(38%) *

6-7 nights

1-3 nights 48% *

1-3 nights (51%)

4-7 nights (34%)

15.4 days for

leisure

Length of
Stay

Jul-Sep 37% *

Jul-Sep 39% *

Jul-Dec 54.8%

Jul-Sep 38%
Jan-Mar 21%
Oct-Dec 23%

July-Sep 30%
Jan-Mar 29%

Seasonality

Snapshot Emerging Markets Outbound Travel Profile

Belarus

Eastern Europe

Age

Country

Tourism Intelligence International

< 1 week 16%

1 wk 1 month 23%
1 3 months 30%

< 1 week 14%

1 wk 1 month 14%
1 3 months 34%
> 3 months 38%

Hotel 58%
Family/Friends 25%

< 1 week 6%
1 wk 1 month 20%
1 3 months 46%
> 3 months 28%

44

Hotel 21% *
Family/Friends 54%

Hotel 30% *
Family/Friends 26%

Hotel 22%
Family/Friends 34%

Hotels 58%
Family/Friends 32%

Accommodation

< 1 week 5%
1 wk 1 month 18%
1 3 months 40%
> 3 months 37%

Travel Decisions