Mr. Merten has authored and contributed to a range of Phocuswright reports and other research centered on the European travel industry. He has helped shape Phocuswright's European research, in particular the Europe Online Travel Overview, where he oversees market sizing and coordinates Phocuswright's European analyst team. Since 2007, he has written various spotlights dealing with European online travel agencies, tour operators, airlines and car rentals. Ralph has also managed numerous custom research projects focusing on travel technology and marketing strategy. He is executive vice president at h2c GmbH, a professional service provider for the hospitality industry, and holds a degree in aircraft and aerospace technology from the Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany.
Areas of Research
Ralph is well versed in the trends that shape the European travel marketplace. His knowledge of the region's many markets enables him to research and analyze each country's unique opportunities and challenges, while appreciating Europe's interconnectivity with the global travel industry.

Scandinavia Online Travel 2018: By the Numbers
Category: Market Overview & Sizing Published: November 2018 Analysts: Benedikt Hofmeister, David Juman, Ralph Merten, Karen BurkaScandinavia’s strong affinity for digital transactions is fueling robust growth in the region’s online travel market, and online bookings now represent more than 60% of all travel revenue. Meanwhile,...

Scandinavia Online Travel 2018: Key Developments
Category: Market Overview & Sizing Published: November 2018 Analysts: Benedikt Hofmeister, David Juman, Ralph Merten, Karen BurkaCoupled with Scandinavia’s 98% internet and 78% smartphone penetration rates, the trend toward a cashless society bodes well for the region’s online travel market. Scandinavia’s three government-owned...

Scandinavia Online Travel Overview 2018
Category: Market Overview & Sizing Published: November 2018 Analysts: Benedikt Hofmeister, David Juman, Ralph Merten, Karen Burka US $795Scandinavia is on the leading edge of global digital transformation, and strong internet and smartphone adoption have given the region (Sweden, Denmark and Norway) one of the world’s highest online...

European Online Travel Overview Thirteenth Edition Market Sheet
Category: Market Overview & Sizing Published: January 2018 Analysts: Coney Dongre, David Juman, Ralph Merten, Friederike WinkowskiBuoyed by positive economic indicators and generally strong consumer confidence, the European travel market is projected to climb to an all-time high in 2017. Despite continued growth, key challenges...

German Online Travel Overview Thirteenth Edition
Category: Market Overview & Sizing Published: December 2017 Analysts: Ralph Merten, David Juman, Karen Burka, Katrin Bock US $795Germany is Europe’s largest economy as well as its largest travel market. Supported by strong economic growth and rising consumer confidence, Germany’s travel market is projected to increase 3% in 2017....