In a previous blog we looked at the indisputable importance of Spanish in the world. It’s relevance as a language becomes even greater, however, when we consider how many of the emerging economies are Spanish-speaking countries.
The International Monetary Fund lists several Spanish-speaking countries among those undergoing rapid growth or industrialisation. Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela are the South American countries which make the list, and many large corporations in developed economies already do business in these countries. Growth in these nations is not limited to the industrial or manufacturing sectors; many large organisations also choose to operate some of their services from these locations because of the cost savings they are able to derive from doing so.
The phenomenon of globalisation as we understand it today has been gathering pace over the last decade or so, as technology and communications improve and allow more and more jobs to be carried out remotely. Most of us are aware that the Philippines are a popular location for many such offshore operations, but did you know that Spanish is also widely spoken there? Spanish was in fact the official language of the Philippines from the late 16th century, and remained an official language until a constitutional change in 1973. Today, there are estimated to be in the region of three million Spanish speakers in the Philippines, and if groups campaigning for its re-introduction as a compulsory subject in school succeed, that number will certainly increase.
The ability to speak Spanish is a clear advantage for anyone wishing to do business in the emerging economies, so if you want to maximise your opportunities in these markets, why not consider our private Spanish lessons which can be provided at your workplace or home anywhere in London.