published 09-03-2005
ARTICLE ARCHIVE

IN THIS ISSUE...
INDUSTRY ANALYSIS: Latin America prepares itself for the expansion of Sam’s Club
REGIONAL TRENDS: Latin American Tourism
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: Chile

INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

The Second Coming of Sam Walton: Latin America prepares itself for the expansion of Sam’s Club

by John Price
President, InfoAmericas

The 1990’s was the decade of Wal-Mart as the world’s largest retailer burst out of the American market, heading north, south, east and west. Mexico was easy prey for Wal-Mart, with its fractionalized and inefficient food distribution, underfinanced grocery chains and an undervalued peso that made acquisitions cheap. By 2000, Wal-Mart controlled 60% of Mexico’s formal food distribution sector. Now Wal-Mart’s little sister, Sam’s Club, is leading new store growth in Mexico, with a planned 15% expansion in 2005, from 61 to 70 stores. Just as Wal-Mart forever changed Mexico’s retail channels, Sam’s Club promises to shake up the country’s wholesale industry, as it has done in other markets.

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John Price is President of InfoAmericas, a multinational research and consulting firm specializing in Latin American markets. For questions concerning market research and intelligence needs in this area contact: John Price 305-569-9133 ext. 202

REGIONAL TRENDS

Latin American Tourism:
Ready for Take Off

by Thomas Rideg –
Regional Director, South America

In their efforts to draw visitors from the developed countries of North America and Europe, tourist operations in Latin America and the Caribbean compete with their counterparts in Southeast Asia, especially during the Northern Hemisphere winter. Southeast Asia has traditionally enjoyed a number of competitive advantages including proximity (to Europe), number of English speakers, history, infrastructure, a more developed tourism industry, less crime, and stronger promotional efforts. This is beginning to change, however, as tourists look for variety and as more and more Latin American countries recognize the benefits of developing their tourism sectors.

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ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

Chile: You know things are going well when elections don’t matter anymore

by Emmanuel Verrier-Choquette
InfoAmericas Economics Consultant

In Latin America, economic and political cycles typically move hand-in-hand and the change of Presidential administrations can trigger a boom-bust business cycle. Some might therefore worry about the economic impact of Chile’s presidential and congressional elections in December 2005. Despite Chile’s polarized political history, the country’s democracy has matured to the level that political change does not bring with it business risk. The limited role of government in a pro-business economy combined with the centrist leanings of dominant parties provides a rare glimpse of political stability for an emerging market. That stability may be Chile’s greatest asset and an enviable catalyst for investment, growth and progress.

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