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27 : 11 : 20

Hong Kong – Educational institute My ArchiSchool aims to inspire young architects through the launch of the International Youth ArchiDesign 2020 exhibition.

Through digital design workshops and modelling lessons, children aged 6–18 will be fully immersed into the world of architecture. Attendees will also hear from speakers like Ho Puay Peng, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) chair of architectural heritage and conservation and management in Asia, as well as representatives from European schools to discuss their potential future academics overseas.

With the hope of lifting the spirits of children who have missed out on a traditional schooling year, My ArchiSchool believes that the International Youth ArchiDesign will also enthuse the next generation of global architects to access their full range of creativity.

To learn more about how children are re-imagining future cities and redesigning public spaces, explore Kid Architects.

London – Byway is a new travel operator specialising in no-fly holidays as a sustainable alternative to over-tourism.

Recognising the state of flying as hugely damaging to the environment, Byway is supporting travellers in taking more sustainable routes. The company will offer tailor-made journeys by train, boat and bike to areas in the UK and France, with plans to expand the service further across Europe.

Byway will also offer multi-stop journeys featuring family-run, independent accommodation in off-the-beaten track areas. While travel plans have been put on pause for many tourists this year, Cat Jones, founder and CEO of Byway, thinks that as restrictions ease, people will be looking to travel differently. ‘Holidays built around delightful experiences away from the crowds have never been more needed, and lockdowns have shown us the environmental recovery that’s possible when we stop flying,' she says.

As we identify in our Tourism Decelerated microtrend, many travellers were engaging in slow tourism even before the global pandemic. Now, heightened safety concerns are likely to further accelerate this.

Many consumers still feel an element of scepticism about data policies and the ways in which marketers use their information.

Research by The Conference Board, conducted in partnership with Nielsen, shows that just 39% of consumers feel well informed about how marketers acquire data and apply it to their business. With this in mind, some 44% would forgo personalised content if it meant they wouldn’t have to share their personal information with brands. The report also reveals that much of the scepticism about data usage stems from a lack of brand transparency.

‘Consumers’ digital engagement has skyrocketed during the pandemic, making transparency about data practices more important than ever before,’ explains Denise Dahlhoff, senior researcher at The Conference Board.

In our Consumer Surveillance Market, we examine the ways in which data and personal information collection have evolved into a lucrative eco-system for brands to analyse behaviour.