Trendwatching.com describes itself as an “independent and opinionated trend firm, scanning the globe for the most promising consumer trends.” The popular website, which is a must-read for business people wanting to stay ahead of the curve, currently features a list of “12 Crucial Consumer Trends for 2012.”

The first of their predictions is probably the most important. It’s what they call “Red Carpet” – the phenomenon of rolling out the red carpet for that new and huge market, the Chinese (and potentially for Indians and Brazilians). Hilton Hotels, for example, has created a service called “Hilton Huanying” (huanying is Mandarin for welcome) which offers a range of services specifically tailored to Chinese visitors.

Retail giants Harrods, in London, and Printemps, in Paris, have also instituted Chinese services, and Australia has earmarked over $30 million to market the country to wealthy Chinese tourists. With Chinese overseas trips up by 20% in the first half of 2011, this is a trend that no tourism-related business can afford to ignore.instant visual gratification.

The other 11 trends are:

• DIY Health: consumers will use new technology and apps to continuously track and manage their personal health.
• Dealer-Chic: getting a good deal or a discount will be about more than just saving money – it’ll be about control and smartness, and therefore a source of status.
• Eco-cycology: more and more brands will take back all of their products for recycling (let’s hope this one is true!)
• Cash-less: fewer and fewer people will use cash, as big players such as credit cards and web giant Google promote the use of mobile payment technologies.
• Bottom of the Urban Pyramid: lower-income city dwellers will become a new and huge target for brands.
• Idle Sourcing: individuals will increasingly broadcast information about their activities in order to access improved products and services.
• Flawsome: consumers will respond positively to brands which behave more humanly, exposing their flaws.
• Screen Culture: the touchscreen experience will be more interactive than ever.
• Recommerce: “trading in” will become the new buying, as consumers re-sell or trade in their possessions.
• Emerging Maturalism: middle-class and/or younger consumers will embrace risqué, non-corporate products that push boundaries.
• Point & Know: the use of QR codes and similar technology will increase consumers’ access to instant information.

To read much more about these trends, visit www.trendwatching.com

Source: www.trendwatching.com. One of the world's leading trend firms, trendwatching.com sends out its free, monthly Trend Briefings to more than 160,000 subscribers worldwide.