European imports of tableware and kitchenware have recovered strongly from their dip in 2020. With more than half of these imports coming directly from developing countries, Europe continues to be an interesting market for you, particularly the middle to high-end segments. You can use design, sustainable values, artisanry, materials and the story behind your products to add value to your salad bowls and servers. Demand is driven by an increased interest in wellness, including slow cooking and learning new skills.
Wildlife tourism is popular among European travellers, especially those from the United Kingdom (UK), Germany and France. Visiting wildlife attractions is often a highlight of a broader adventure trip. Africa is the leading destination for safaris to view the iconic Big Five in their natural habitats. Responsible tourism, which considers animal welfare and the conservation of natural habitats, is a big trend in the market today. This is a global issue, and one that the European market feels very strongly about.
The future of tourism lies in regenerative models – where protecting wildlife and habitats goes hand in hand with partnering with and uplifting local communities. When operators embed conservation and community benefit at the heart of their business, they not only safeguard nature but also create resilient economies and unforgettable guest experiences. It is these authentic experiences and a focus on delighting guests that can be a positive step to attracting guests and getting repeat and referral business for the long term.
Mohanjeet Brar, MD, Gamewatchers Safaris & Porini Camps
Respecting animals as individual beings is becoming more important among European tourists. It is, therefore, important to offer wildlife tourism in an animal-friendly way. Nature experiences in which the animals’ intrinsic value is emphasised are key. This strengthens the bond between people and nature.
Akke Folmer, research lecturer in sustainable tourism
Webinar recording
8 June 2021
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Europeans like to watch birds and the United Kindom (UK) is the largest market. It has many specialist birding tour operators that serve the UK and the European market. The Netherlands and Germany are other important markets. The birder community is getting bigger as younger people are getting involved, attracted by nature and the outdoors. Technological advancements are helping to drive interest in the birdwatching market. There are also many birding forums and apps.
Birdwatching becomes a lifetime commitment; it is a connection to the natural world. The thrill of spotting a rare or new species, deciphering bird songs, and understanding their behaviour or nesting behaviour is incredibly rewarding. It fosters patience, observation skills, and a deep appreciation for biodiversity, enriching my life in countless ways.
From an industry perspective, there is no more single-minded long-term client than a birder; these clients are worth the investment.
Corne Schalkwyk, Head of Partnerships at GVI
Birdwatching becomes a lifetime commitment; it is a connection to the natural world. The thrill of spotting a rare or new species, deciphering bird songs, and understanding their behaviour or nesting behaviour is incredibly rewarding. It fosters patience, observation skills, and a deep appreciation for biodiversity, enriching my life in countless ways.
From an industry perspective, there is no more single-minded long-term client than a birder; these clients are worth the investment.
Simon Collier, sustainable tourism expert, guide and trainer
Webinar recording
16 June 2021
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A destination with a diverse range of birdlife makes for excellent birdwatching. Destinations across Africa, Asia and Latin America offer some of the world’s best birdwatching opportunities. Using local guides who can identify birds in their natural habitats and promote appropriate behaviour is essential for developing successful birdwatching products. Conservation and sustainability are important issues for European birders.
The quality of local guides is the single most important element when selecting a local operator for our birding clients. It is crucial to have expert guides with local knowledge who can identify species and have a detailed knowledge of the best places to observe unique birds. Not all birding guests are the same. Some want a more leisurely pace to simply enjoy the birdlife, others to maximise the number of species and the most hardcore may only want to see a particular target species. Whilst birding guests are more flexible than general wildlife guests with regard to accommodation, they are demanding about the quality of birds and the ability and ease of observing them.
Santiago Bejarano, Co-Founder at Think Galapagos
It is important to maintain the balance between conservation and tourism. Initiatives that connect local communities with birdwatchers, both domestic and international, are vital for conserving key bird habitats and improving lives. Bird-based tourism fuses habitat protection with local economic growth.
Camilo Cardozo, National Audubon Society, Colombia
Webinar recording
16 June 2021
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Birdwatching is a popular activity in Europe. Many enthusiastic and casual birders travel abroad to see birds, and the United Kingdom (UK) is the top market. Iconic species and endemics are a valuable tourism asset for many countries. This offers good opportunities for local birdwatching tour operators in areas of high bird diversity. Sustainability in birdwatching is essential for the long-term conservation and preservation of birds and their habitats.
Wildlife tourism is popular with Europeans. Visiting wildlife attractions or going on safari is often a highlight of a broader adventure trip. Africa is one of the world’s leading destinations for safaris. It is home to many iconic species. We are also seeing growth in wildlife tourism in Asia and Latin America.
As consumers spend more time at home, they look for comfortable clothing items that can be worn around the house. Nevertheless, the European market for homewear (bathrobes and sleepwear) fell back to 2016 levels in 2020. Europe sources most of its homewear imports directly from developing countries. The mid-end and high-end market segments offer you the best opportunities. To supply these segments, you need to focus on design and quality. Using sustainable materials and the ability to co-create with your buyer can give you a competitive edge.
Easy chairs play a key role in the ‘home sweet home’ trend, where consumers retreat into the comfort and cosiness of their home. While the COVID-19 pandemic hurt international trade, lockdowns further boosted this trend. As a result, the negative impact of the pandemic on European imports of seats has been limited. The share of developing counties in the direct import market has remained fairly stable at around 40%. This makes Europe an interesting market for you, particularly the mid-end to high-end segments.
European imports of decorative objects have grown considerably in recent years. With most imports coming directly from developing countries, Europe is an interesting market for you — especially the middle to high-end segments. To target these segments, you should pay particular attention to design, artisanry and the story behind your products. Elements such as functionality, humour, collectability and cultural touches can add value to your decorative objects. Sustainability is also becoming increasingly important.
This report shows the most important European trends in the food and non-food industry for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries. From interviews with experts, it is clear that COVID-19 increased the need for professionalism in developing countries. Buyers now select products in a different way. And the requirements they have for suppliers are much higher than before. To meet the new standards, suppliers in developing countries need to increase quality in many areas of their business. Collaborating with partners is very important.
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