Last October 31, ETFI professor of Scenario Planning Albert Postma painted scenarions for the long-term future of social media at IPK's World Travel Monitor® Forum 2012 in Pisa. His presentation included the opinions or visions of several international colleagues, including my own. I see two important trends. In the first place, a growing gap between different types of news consumers, with some able to access far more sources of news than would have been thinkable in the past, and others, overwhelmed by the vast offer of news, limiting themselves to 'low-cost' news (or fun, bizarre etc. news; see "In a bizarre world ...").
A second trend is growing pressure on the freedom of expression the internet in general, and social media specifically, have generated, both from commercial parties (especially the entertainment industry) and from political power.
Interview about an ETFI-research project on possibilities for incoming tourism in the north of the Netherlands:
“Fryslan needs to anticipate shifts in consumer behaviour .“
Frisian tourism entrepreneurs should be prepared for Spanish tourists,
watersport companies need to offer a variety of products and the world
heritage site the Waddensea must have a visitor centre.
All these recommendations are the outcomes of a scenario research
towards trends in the field of tourism within the next five years.
According to Oskam, entrepreneurs should be aware of shifts in consumer
behaviour. This will allow entrepreneurs to anticipate trends.
More articles on the scenario reasearch can be found here.
