Market research insights
driving global business

• September 2011

Up in the air

Airlines are rolling out new enhancements to better serve business travellers. But with the previous downturn relatively fresh and a new one looming, how clear are the skies ahead?

• September 2010

Social Media Blues

There appears to be a growing dissatisfaction, and a rather public one at that, among users of social media sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Ironically, people are using these very networks to voice their opinions, which range from issues about poor security to being bombarded with too many ads; and not to mention the stress of coping with a high maintenance digital lifestyle.

• August 2010

The style spies

Monitoring the markets and working in the office all day leaves little time for a professional working man to stay in style. Yes, nipping off to a newsstand and buying a fashion magazine to read is an option. However, male fashion fans are finding it's much easier to visit their favourite websites, and get instant help from a willing army of fashion bloggers, who act as style spies.

• June 2010

Ready for kick-off

The 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off in South Africa on 11 June, signalling the first African hosting of a major football tournament. According to a study by Synovate, South Africans are more than ready to show the world their enthusiasm. Here are the some of the key findings from the study.

• June 2010

Green Lean Machines

Hybrid cars that run on a combination of petrol, electricity and/or bio-fuels are no longer novel. Discover more about this, and other innovations to hit the motor industry this year. The developments may have the power to make the auto industry greener and cleaner.

• April 2010

Over the counter products: A healthy perspective?

It is no secret that the greatest wealth one can have is their health. Synovate's latest survey on attitudes towards over the counter medications suggests that many of us are more than aware of this.

• November 2009

Boutique or not boutique?

That is the question in this fast-growing segment of the hotel market. Jessica Morris explores just what it means to be "boutique" - from the number of rooms to hotel ownership to the amenities provided.

• April 2009

A One-derful night

Linda Collard talks hotels, guests, marketing and technology with Martin Dishman, Managing Director of The One Hotel Group in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

• April 2009

The hotel experience

Ask any regular traveller and they probably have a hotel-from-hell story and (hopefully) a hotel-from-heaven counterpart. Whether travelling for pleasure or business, the place where you park your head at night can make or break the experience.

• September 2008

The ups and downs of air travel

Put 300 plus people in a really small space for a number of hours; feed them en masse (or not at all if it's budget); subject them to each other's snores, coughs, laughter, slurps and worse - and you're going to have a hard time keeping everyone happy.

• June 2008

Bespoke health

Patients are exercising their rights as consumers and taking advantage of the lower costs of health care elsewhere in the world, where procedures are a fraction of what they would pay at home.

• June 2008

Customers in the air

Whether or not customer service is something you can legislate, the question of why some carriers are excellent when it comes to customer service and others abysmal is one that continually arises.

• September 2007

Smokers and non-smokers agree

As smoking bans continue to make headlines, findings from Synovate's latest survey show that 80% of respondents in 15 countries are in favour of such bans, primarily because of the positive influence these are perceived to have upon public health.

• April 2007

Flying higher

Turning a national brand into a global brand is a tough business - just ask any airline. As long as existing regulations deny airlines the commercial freedom enjoyed by other industries, this seems unlikely to change.

• April 2007

Climate change and consumer behaviour

Climate change is news all over the world. You only have to pick up a newspaper or stand by the water cooler to know it's a hot issue. But will all this talk lead to changing consumer behaviour?

• September 2006

Travel stoppage

The new restrictions at airports will deter some consumers from air travel but it's the ongoing threat of terrorism that will have a greater effect on their travel habits, according to a new survey by Synovate.

• July 2004

The economy of flight

Three quarters of people think an airline trip is just like a bus trip, and should bet "fast and cheap," while 64% will always choose a budget airline if the ticket price was lower, according to a Synovate study.