National Parks Bring in Tourist Dollars
South Africa gets 23% of international visitor spending linked to national parks, the highest share worldwide, followed by Zambia at 15% and Finland at 7%. The data shows that protected areas can be a major tourism driver, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and that nature-based travel remains a relevant theme for European operators and marketers targeting long-haul and sustainability-focused visitors.
Netflix Still Reigns Supreme in the U.S. Streaming Landscape
Netflix remains the most-used streaming service in the U.S., with 59% of respondents saying they used it in the past 12 months, ahead of Amazon Prime Video at 49% and Apple TV at 21%. For European streaming players and advertisers, the figures underline how hard it is to challenge entrenched subscription habits in a crowded market. They also suggest that bundle pricing, exclusives, and content scale remain critical for user acquisition and retention in Europe.
Apple TV Breaks Dominance of HBO and Netflix at the Emmys
Apple TV won the most awards at the 2026 Emmys, taking 28 trophies, including 14 for “Widow’s Bay” and six for “Pluribus.” It is the first time since its 2019 launch that Apple’s streaming service has topped the awards table.
The result shows how competitive streaming has become in premium TV. For European media and marketing teams, it underlines that audience attention is spread across more platforms, which can make content buys and brand partnerships harder to plan.
Widow’s Bay Sweeps the 2026 Emmys With 14 Wins
Widow’s Bay won 14 awards at the 2026 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series. The Apple TV comedy-horror series set a new record for the most Emmy wins by a comedy in a single year.
For streaming platforms, the result reinforces the value of award-winning originals in subscriber acquisition and retention. In Europe, it may also shape content commissioning and marketing strategies as services compete for attention in a crowded market.
Booking.com and Airbnb Lead Europe’s Online Travel Market
Booking.com and Airbnb lead Europe’s online travel market
Booking.com and Airbnb are the two most used online accommodation platforms across most European markets surveyed by Statista Consumer Insights. Only Sweden is an exception, where Hotels.com ranks ahead of Airbnb for second place. This shows how concentrated online travel demand is in Europe, which matters for hotel chains, short-term rental hosts, and marketers buying travel traffic.
The original ‘Star Wars’ films are the best, say American fans
Ipsos says Americans still rate the original “Star Wars” trilogy as the best, while younger adults are more open to the prequel-era films and “Clone Wars.” The age split matters for media and consumer marketing because franchise appeal is clearly different across generations, including in Europe where studios and brands often segment campaigns by age cohort.
Water and energy usage are what worry us most about data centers
Ipsos found that 69% of Americans are concerned about data center construction, with water use and energy supply the top worries. The result matters in Europe because large data center projects there face similar scrutiny over grid capacity, cooling water, and local permitting. For sales and marketing teams, this can affect how infrastructure, cloud, and AI offerings are positioned to public-sector and enterprise buyers.
Americans are concerned about nearly every aspect of electronic privacy
Ipsos finds Americans are concerned about nearly every aspect of electronic privacy. A majority say they are very or somewhat concerned about tracking, device access, and data sharing or cloud storage.
The result points to rising sensitivity around consent and data use, which also matters for European brands operating under GDPR. For Sales and Marketing teams, it reinforces the need for clear permissions, concise privacy language, and careful handling of loyalty and app-based data collection.
Almost all younger people are trying to limit their screen time
Ipsos found that 91% of 18- to 34-year-olds in its Consumer Tracker are doing something to reduce screen time, compared with 47% of people aged 55 and older. The result suggests younger consumers are becoming more selective about digital use, which matters for European brands and media planning. For Sales and Marketing, it reinforces the need to balance mobile-first reach with formats that do not rely on constant attention.
Food illnesses are leading two in three Americans to change buying behavior
Foodborne illness concerns are changing grocery shopping behavior in the US. Ipsos says one in three Americans bought less produce this summer during a cyclospora outbreak, and many also reported washing produce more carefully.
For European food retailers and brands, this is a reminder that trust and perceived safety can quickly affect demand for fresh categories. Marketing and sales teams in Europe may need to emphasize traceability, hygiene, and recall response more clearly when consumer confidence is under pressure.
Americans still trust humans more than AI
Ipsos says Americans are still more likely to trust humans than AI across a wide range of tasks, including medical test interpretation, air traffic control and job screening. The finding suggests that AI adoption in the US remains constrained by trust, which is relevant for European marketers and sales teams using AI in customer-facing or decision-support roles. Human involvement appears to matter most for low-risk creative work and business analysis, where trust in human-AI collaboration is highest.
Americans want customer interactions to be human, not AI
Ipsos found that Americans strongly prefer humans making food and handling customer interactions over AI or robots. The result is relevant for European restaurants and retailers as they test self-service and automation, because customer experience may depend on keeping visible human touchpoints in place. For Sales and Marketing teams, it suggests automation should be positioned as support, not a replacement for staff.
Americans show we care by… texting
Ipsos found that two in three Americans say they have shown someone they cared in the past three months by sending a text. The survey suggests messaging has become a key everyday channel for personal connection, which matters for European marketers because text-based and chat-led touchpoints may still shape consumer engagement expectations.
Most Americans aren’t thinking about climate’s impact on their wallet… yet
Ipsos found that only 39% of Americans think about what climate change is costing them, and 12% say they think about it a great deal. The results matter for Europe because rising energy, food and insurance costs are also shaping consumer budgets there, but climate costs may not yet be a top purchase trigger. For sales and marketing teams, this suggests climate-linked messaging may land best when tied to immediate savings and practical household costs.
Latest U.S. opinion polls [2024/2025]
Ipsos published its latest U.S. opinion polls hub with December 2025 and earlier survey results updated through September 16, 2026. The page compiles Reuters/Ipsos, consumer sentiment, and other polling on politics, prices, housing, AI, and business sentiment.
For European readers, the hub is mainly useful as a high-frequency view of U.S. consumer and political mood that can affect transatlantic demand and campaign planning. For Sales and Marketing teams in Europe, the recurring signals on cost of living, tariffs, and spending caution can help frame U.S.-linked messaging and forecast sentiment spillovers into European markets.
Ipsos Consumer Tracker
Ipsos found that 69% of Americans are concerned about the growth of AI data center construction, including 37% who are very concerned. The main worries are pressure on water supplies, strain on the power grid, and higher utility bills.
For Europe, this signals growing consumer sensitivity around the infrastructure behind AI, especially where energy use and water access are already politically sensitive. For Sales and Marketing teams, it suggests AI messaging may face more scrutiny if it is linked to higher costs, sustainability issues, or local infrastructure impact.
The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about?
Ipsos Care-o-Meter shows Americans cared more about the U.S. deficit passing $40 trillion than they knew about it. The update also found that Germany’s far-right AfD won its first state-wide election, an item that crossed into care but remained less widely known in the U.S. For European readers, the AfD result is relevant because it signals continued strength for the far right in a major EU economy. For sales and marketing teams, the broader pattern suggests economic and political headlines can drive attention quickly, but awareness still varies widely by market.
Nordics Consistently Lead the World in Gender Equality
The World Economic Forum has named Iceland the most gender-equal country in the world for the 17th consecutive year in its Global Gender Gap Report 2026. Finland, Norway and Sweden again rank near the top, while several European economies have appeared in the top 10 over the past two decades. This matters for Europe because it underlines the region’s continued lead on gender parity, a factor relevant for talent attraction, employer branding and sales strategies that rely on broad workforce representation.
Women More Often Worried About Their Financial Future
A Statista survey found that women are more likely than men to worry about their financial future in most of the countries covered. The biggest gap was in Finland, while France and the UK also showed clear differences.
The results matter for European financial services, retail and employer branding because women often report lower financial confidence. For sales and marketing teams, this points to a need for clearer financial education and more targeted messaging around security and independence in European markets.
Higher Education Doesn’t Close the Gender Gap
Statista marked International Equal Pay Day with new data showing that women in the US earn less than men at every education level, and the gap widens for advanced degrees. The finding matters in Europe because it underlines that higher education alone does not close pay gaps, which is relevant for employers, recruiters, and sales and marketing teams tracking workforce equity and employer branding.