The 2009 Tonga Economic and Product Market Databook

Additional Information

This study covers the outlook products in Tonga. For the year reported, estimates are given for the latent demand, or potential industry earnings (P.I.E.), for the Tonga (in millions of U.S. dollars). Comparative benchmarks allow the reader to quickly gauge Tonga vis-à-vis regional and global totals. Using econometric models which project fundamental economic dynamics within each country and across countries, latent demand estimates are created. This report does not discuss the specific players in the market serving the latent demand, nor specific details at the product level. The study also does not consider short-term cyclicalities that might affect realized sales. The study, therefore, is strategic in nature, taking an aggregate and long-run view, irrespective of the players or products involved.

This study does not report actual sales data, but gives, however, my estimates for the latent demand for products and services in Tonga. For each category, I also show my estimates of how the P.I.E. grows over time (positive or negative growth). In order to make these estimates, a multi-stage methodology was employed that is often taught in courses on international strategic planning at graduate schools of business. The data presented are the result of various spatial econometric and time-series forecasting models which, for each category presented, are applied to forecast and allocate latent demand across all countries of the world and major distribution centers or centers of dominant influence within each country. This is accomplished knowing that economic fundamentals (e.g. income) generally vary from one country to another within a given country over time. In this report, I report the allocation for each category for Tonga as an area of dominant influence in Oceana and, potentially, the world.