Future trends
• We identified a number of potential drivers, presenting
either opportunities or barriers to business growth over
the next 3-5 years. Overall, it was clear that customer
trends were employers’ most important concern for the
future.
• 41 percent of employers believed that changes
in customer spending patterns would be an
integral driver for their business in the future, while
44 percent thought they represented a barrier to
growth. Equally, changing customer tastes and
preferences could present both opportunities
(32 percent) and barriers (28 percent) to growth,
requiring businesses to reassess their target markets
for products and services.
• Rising customer expectations was seen as a positive
trend among 28 percent of employers. To meet these
expectations, it follows that the investment required
to improve quality and standards in a service driven
sector such as hospitality and tourism should focus on
increasing the skills of those working in the sector.
• Underlying the future changes in customer trends was
a belief that the current economic crisis was changing
values and behaviours among consumers, who have
become more cautious and changing their spending
patterns, which is reflected in domestic tourism trends.
• There was the view that technology and social media
were helping customers to become increasingly