Global Scans · Leisure · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Online retailing will be one of the fastest growing channels between 2015 and 2019 as individuals do not have much time for leisure and seek convenience. Entertainment will continue to shift away from traditional broadcast media and print to reality augmented and deeply personalised content. The occupations with the largest new employment growth will be managers, professional and technical jobs, and caring and leisure occupations. Many middle-class professionals will be outsourced to machines within the next few decades leaving workers with more leisure time than they have ever experienced.

• [New] The summer surge blueprint will become the template for all Australian peak-travel periods, including Easter and the July school-holiday rush. VisaHQ
• [New] With less direct access to Europe, Georgian tourism and businesses could see a decline, as EU citizens may find it more difficult to visit Georgia, and Georgian citizens may struggle to travel for business and leisure purposes. Travel And Tour World
• [New] Brazil's financial markets open Friday in thin holiday trading, with the Ibovespa near 160,500 after a strong 1.46% surge on Tuesday reclaiming the 160,000 level amid disinflation and global risk-on flows. The Rio Times
• [New] For the first time in history, total US holiday retail sales are projected to surpass the $1 trillion milestone, driven by a record-breaking Cyber Week and a consumer base that refused to blink in the face of persistent price pressures. FinancialContent
• [New] Holiday Travel Chaos as Winter Weather And Flooding Disrupt Christmas Plans Across The U.S. Travel And Tour World
• [New] Risk sentiment in Asia is broadly constructive but muted, with recent gains in regional equities supported by prior strength in U.S. tech and AI names and expectations of a calm year-end despite holiday-thinned liquidity. IC Markets | Official Blog | Blog
• [New] Answer: By 2025, VR holiday experiences could allow remote family gatherings. Success Knocks | The Business Magazine
• [New] According to a report from the World Economic Forum, interactive learning tools are expected to grow by 25% by 2025, making trivia a hot topic for entertainment and education. Success Knocks | The Business Magazine
• [New] While 37 million packages were projected to be stolen throughout 2025, nearly 70% of holiday purchases will be delivered. KATU
• [New] Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is expecting a 4% year-over-year increase in checkpoint screenings during the busy winter holiday travel season. Metropolitan Airports Commission
• [New] Holiday Participation: 92% of U.S. adults plan to celebrate winter holidays, including Hanukkah, Christmas, and other seasonal festivities, demonstrating a strong and consistent demand for holiday experiences. SourcinBox
• [New] Millions of consumers will use AI agents to complete purchases by the 2026 holiday season. / USA FinExtra
• [New] Holiday shipping plans are facing fresh trouble as severe winter weather disrupts mail service across much of the U.S. Snow, freezing temperatures, and flooding have slowed transportation routes, prompting the USPS to warn customers about possible delivery delays. Economic Times
• [New] AAA expects the 2025 Christmas holiday week to be the busiest on record, with more than 122 million Americans traveling at least 50 miles. AOL
• [New] December holiday travel is one of the busiest times of the year, with nearly 123 million Americans expected to travel over Christmas and New Year's in 2025. AOL
• [New] By 2026, 25% of people will spend at least one hour per day in the metaverse for work, shopping, education, social interaction, or entertainment. Devsu
• [New] More than 50% of US shoppers expect tariffs to affect their holiday budgets. The Global Legal Post
• [New] The National Retail Federation forecasts a sharp drop in holiday help compared to last year. News Channel 3-12
• As Netflix grows as an entertainment giant, with the potential deal to acquire Warner Bros. announced last week, the Netflix House locations could become even more compelling by adding additional brands. Digiday
• AI-driven retail is projected to account for 21% of all global holiday orders in 2025, translating to a $263 billion opportunity. Ainvest
• AI-driven e-commerce is projected to generate $263 B in 2025 holiday sales, with 21% of global orders powered by AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. Ainvest
• In a report published last month, Salesforce said it expects AI to drive a staggering $263 billion in global online holiday sales in 2025, representing 21% of all holiday orders. CNBC
• American consumers are expected to spend 10% less on their holiday shopping than last year. The Global Legal Post

Last updated: 31 December 2025