The integration of the renowned Tripod site along with the launch of Instanterra and Disco Virtual are part of our ongoing effort to offer the important Spanish-speaking audience in the U.S. a unique and compelling online experience, said Manuel Bellod, general manager for Terra.com U.S. Through the recently created Terra Lycos network of sites, we are now more than ever able to offer our users around the world the widest variety of products to best meet their needs.
Bellod added, The U.S. Spanish-language market is and will continue to be an important market for Terra Lycos, as Hispanic consumers represent a huge, relatively untapped market. Our users tell us that Spanish-language content is important to them, so we are committed to continuing to deliver the best product available to meet the market’s demand. The January 2001 Cheskin Report confirms that the online Hispanic market in the U.S. is rapidly growing. According to the report, technology companies that exert a strong effort in reaching the market can increase the speed of technological adoption and be in an enviable leadership position.
The report also offers the following insights:
– 47% of U.S. Hispanic households own a computer.
– Computer ownership among U.S. Hispanics has grown at 80% annually the last two years, compared to just 21% for the overall U.S. market.
Terra Lycos also announced that its Latin America operations, in addition to its Hispanic market U.S. operations, will be based in Miami. With $2.4 billion in cash, Terra Lycos is one of the best capitalized Internet companies in the world, giving the company a major competitive advantage for continuing to deliver great products and leading the market consolidation.
