Hispanics prefer at-home activities to costly out-of-home options, reports Mintel

Chicago (August 16, 2012)-It’s summertime, and entertainment options for the ever-growing US Hispanic population are endless. The latest research from Mintel shows that cost is the primary driver in how Hispanics decide to enjoy their leisure time.

“Due to financial restraints, Hispanics are enjoying more in-home activities rather than spending their discretionary funds on out-of-home paid events,” says Adam Jacobson, multicultural analyst at Mintel. “Watching a movie on TV or reading a book or magazine is taking a front seat to more financially-driven experiences, such as dining out or going to live sporting events.”

Some 36% of Hispanics say they watch a movie on TV more than three times per week. Meanwhile, one-third of respondents would rather curl up with a good book or magazine in Spanish in the same time frame. Additionally, 40% of Hispanics say they enjoy dining out, but only do so one to three times per month. Some 34% of Hispanics in the US say they will attend a sporting event, and 30% plan to attend a street festival in the next three months.

In addition to eating out, the most common form of out-of-home entertainment among Hispanic adults is a trip to the movies. More than half (53%) of respondents saw a feature film in a theater at least once in the last year and 42% plan to go to the movies in the next three months. Mintel research suggests that cinemas could benefit from offering a variety of concession items that appeal to Hispanics or providing a family discount program, as Hispanics tend to have larger families than non-Hispanics.

When not out and about town, you can expect to find Hispanics enjoying online entertainment. Spending time on social networking sites, such as Facebook or Myspace, is the most common weekly activity among 77% of Mintel respondents. Not surprisingly, over a third (36%) of Hispanic adults visit their social networking websites at least 3 times a day and they can do this easily thanks to online access from mobile devices. Sixty-five percent of online Hispanics surveyed say they have a smartphone and 31% have an iPad or similar type of tablet device.