Millennials Think These Countries Have the Most Economic Potential
Millennials, generally considered to be 18- to 35-year-olds in 2015, have made major waves in the way business is conducted and in the companies view their customer.
"Because they are the largest generation, their spending power is substantial," says Derrick Feldmann, lead researcher for The Millennial Impact Project, a study on how the generation engages with different causes. "They are at a formative stage, going out and securing the things they care about."
And when the generation speaks, their influence ripples through the economy.
Marriott International developed two hotel chains -- Moxy Hotels and AC Hotels -- specifically designed to attract millennial customers.
[SEE: Where millennials want to live.]
Joan Kuhl, founder of the consulting firm Why Millennials Matter, also points to disruptions in the banking industry, as clients demand complete mobile access to their accounts and funds, and the auto industry, which has had to adapt to the sharing economies of Uber and Lyft.
When it comes to the global economy, the taste-making generation has its sights set on Thailand. Millennials consider the Southeast Asian nation to have the most economic potential, according to a characterization of 60 countries based on a survey of nearly 6,000 millennials from four regions.
Economic potential was measured by an equally weighted average of scores from four country attributes -- different, distinctive, dynamic and unique -- a metric derived from U.S. News partner and brand strategy firm BAV Consulting's BrandAsset Valuator Model of Brand Building.
[READ: More about how the Best Countries were ranked.]
India, which ranked No. 1 in economic potential by broader age brackets, drops one spot to No. 2 when assessed by millennials. Brazil is ranked No. 3 by millennials, rising three spots compared to broader perceptions.
[SEE: How the broader population ranks the Best Countries in terms of economic potential.]
The youngest generation surveyed seems hopeful for nations that have struggled financially. Compared to perceptions of all ages, Greece, which has received multiple bailouts in recent years and is at risk of defaulting on its debt, jumped 10 spots to No. 16 when assessed by millennials, and Spain rose four spots to No. 33.
The generation is less forgiving of those nations that have faced more political conflicts. Israel, ranked No. 14 in terms of economic potential by the broader population, dropped 20 spots to No. 34 when assessed by millennials, and Morocco dropped eight spots to No. 20.
See the full list of millennials' picks for countries with the most economic potential here.
Deidre McPhillips is a data reporter at U.S. News. You can find her on Twitter or email her at dmcphillips@usnews.com.
