French Ethnic Market
The French ethnic market is the
biggest ethnic market behind the Hispanic’s, cultivating billions of
dollars in the United States alone.
Students say “J’adore” to
French
Many students from elementary schools
are getting their first exposure to France through the French language.
In those years when we are
most app to learning new things, students in the United States are spending
their time learning all about conjugations, and have started referencing the
undefined star in the middle of Europe as “La France”.
Thought books, movies and
history, U.S. students are getting
acclimated to French culture, and many continue to feel an interest in
France well beyond elementary school and university.
The number of students taking up the
language currently is on the rise, and French is the 2nd most studied
language, preceded only by Spanish[1].
Many students take on the romantic language for personal interest, and
others to maintain their roots to France, or a French speaking country.
A personal choice showing significant dedication to becoming bilingual.
An estimated 216,429 students are currently enrolled in French studies as of 2009[2].
[1]
Modern Language Association http://www.mla.org/pdf/2009_enrollment_survey_pr.pdf
[2] (www.info please.com)
[1]
Modern Language Association http://www.mla.org/pdf/2009_enrollment_survey_pr.pdf
French Speakers in the US
Americans who are French descendants :
The population of people born
in a French speaking country and living in United States is approximately 9,412,000[1].
This population forms the fourth largest ethnic market, hailing from such
places as France, Quebec, Belgium, Haiti, Senegal and other parts of the world.
Characteristics
of the French-speaking people in the United States:
Eating, living and feeling French
with the Francophiles
A number of people currently living in the United States are interested
in diverse high quality products from France. They enjoy traveling to France and
French speaking countries such as Belgium, Morocco and Quebec.
France is the 2nd
most visited country by United States citizens outside
of North America, according to U.S. Department of Commerce and International
trade(2). This shows the unlimited
opportunities available to businesses who are looking to cater to a highly
profitable market group, and benefit of the present favorable timing. Last year in 2011 3.2 million Americans visited France,
and that number is expected to increase according to Jean-Philippe Perol
Director for the Americas for the France Tourism Development Agency, in Forbes
Travelers (1).
Others have already claimed their share of the market.
4000 French companies have so far implanted themselves in the United
States, with an employment force of over 650,000 people to meet the diverse
needs of the French Francophiles, marketing increasingly in demand French
products. That is more jobs then
the population living in the states of Washington D.C. or Vermont, according
to US census of 2010, the latest figures available.
US import from Frances amounts to over 39 billion dollars a year in
2011 according to United Census on foreign trade (3), more then
Australlia and Brazil combined, while showing continuous growth.
This is because Francophiles, French descendants and the French speaking
ethnic market have a high interest in French products, and at the same time
possess strong buying power.
The trend of US trade seems to show a continuous increase of French
imports
(1)(http://news.travel.aol.com/2010/05/28/france-tourism-down-but-still-number-one/
)
(2)http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/outreachpages/download_data_table/2010_US_to_Europe.pdf
The new French Territories!
