Premier vision annual report 2013v2
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Transcript of Premier vision annual report 2013v2
PREMIER Vision
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PREMIER TAX FREE
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2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 3
PREMIER Vision
COUNTRY ANALYSIS
United Kingdom
France
Italy
Spain
Germany
Portugal
Czech Republic
Greece
Singapore
TRAVELLER PROFILE
China
Middle East
Russia
Brazil
United States
Japan
Australia
Norway
Thailand
South Korea
p 5
Index
S U M M A R Y
p 9
p 13
p 17
p 21
p 25
p 27
p 29
p 31
The impact of travel and tourism
on economic growth is signi-
ficant. The tourism industry is
forecast to grow at an average
of 4% annually over the next 10
years. This growth will come from
an increase in trips per traveller
and also from first time travel-
lers in emerging markets. This all
presents exciting opportunities
for stakeholders in one of the
world’s largest industries.
More and more people are now
travelling worldwide, especially
from emerging economies such as
China, Thailand, Russia and Brazil.
Some of the factors that contri-
buted to the rise in the number
of tourists are their increase in
purchasing power and a bigger
offer of airline routes, including
new flights from low cost airlines.
From January to September 2013,
845 Million tourists travelled
worldwide, an increase of 5%
compared to 2012.
Europe is still the most visited re-
gion in the world with an increase
of 6% in inbound tourists compa-
red to 2012, followed by Asia-
Pacific which also registered a
positive growth of 6%. One of the
reasons for Europe’s popularity
is the importance of their retail
brands and the attraction they
hold in the eye of the internatio-
nal shopper. A more advanced
middle class has emerged, espe-
cially from the BRIC countries
that are using their increase in
disposable income to travel more
and purchase luxury products.
Chinese tourists are now the
biggest tax free shopping spender
and in most European countries
they accounted for over 20% of
the total tax free sales. They are
followed by tourists from Rus-
sia, the United States and the
Middle-East. While Asian visitors
are highly represented in our list
of top spending nationalities, this
spend can be increased if visa
restrictions are lightened. Chinese
tourists made 97 million foreign
trips in 2013, compared to 10
million in 2000. Higher disposable
incomes in the world’s number
two economy and looser foreign
travel restrictions are increasing
access to travel. This part of the
world has been economically
vibrant for the past number of
years and in the year 2020, it is
predicted that Asia will be home
p 33
p 39
p 41
p 43
p 45
p 47
p 49
p 51
p 35
p 37
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
4
PREMIER Vision
S U M M A R Y
Fintrax Group From trade associations, trade press, company research, trade and external sources:
UNWTO – World Tourism Barometer, Euromonitor International, WTTC – World Travel and Tourism Council, AT – Kearney (Global Retail Development Index), Atout France, VisitBritain, ITB – Berlin World Travel Trends Report - 2013/2014, Stark Tourism Associate – Russia Tourism Report – 2013, International Passenger Survey Figures - Office for National Statistics Russia, Insights - Japan National Tourism Orga-nisation, The Federation of Norwegian commercial and service enterprise, Mc Kinsey, CNN, BBC, City A.M - www.cityam.com, A view on cities - www.aviewoncities.com, Hurun report -2012, Weibo tracking report, Group M – Knowledge – CIC, ‘The young luxury consumers in China’ - 2013, Virada – Understand Arabia Limited, ‘The Middle East Outbound Travel Market with special insight into the image of Europe as a destination’ -2012.
to a Middle Class population of 1.7
billion which is over double the size
of Europe’s Middle Class.
This rise in consumption has enabled
a whole new market the opportunity
to fly to long haul destinations and
spend on luxury products that were
once the mainstay of only the few
super rich.
Europe is set to benefit from this
growth in spend as it is an attractive
visitor destination and the home of
the world’s top luxury brands. With
the international shopper average
transaction value almost three
times higher than that from a local
shopper, it is no wonder that these
shoppers have become extremely
important to the profit margins of
fashion retailers throughout Europe.
It is forecasted that over 100 million
Chinese tourists will travel abroad in
2014. The international shopper has
never been more important to retai-
lers in Europe and this trend is set to
continue.
AMERICAS
+ 3 %
ASIAPACIFIC
+ 6 %
AFRICA
+ 5 %
EUROPE
+ 6 %
FIG 1: International tourist ArrivalsJanuary-September 2013 (compared to the same period in 2012)
MIDDLEEAST
+ 0.3 %
WORLD+ 5 %
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 5
£ 292 Average transaction value
Minimum Amounteligible for tax free sales
£ 25
COUNTRY Analysis
United Kingdom
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
6
UN
ITE
D K
ING
DO
M
The UK is the sixth largest internatio-nal tourism destination ranked by visi-tor numbers and London is the most popular city in the UK attracting over 16 million tourists per year. 4.9 mil-lion people visited London from July to September 2013, an increase of 20% on the same period in 2012 when the Olympics took place. Edinburgh was the only other city in the UK that ma-naged to attract more than one mil-lion visitors and Manchester is the third most visited. Leisure arrivals account for three arrivals in four and museums were the fastest growing category of tourism attractions in 2013 recording a 5% increase in value sales.
Visitors from visa-requiring nations accounted for around 11% of all visi-tors to the UK (1.7m) and they gene-rate around £3bn in revenue (19% of the total) due to their high spend per trip (£866 per person vs. the average of £580 per person). Chinese tourists were the leading spenders in tax free sales in 2013, a growth of 29% on the number of transactions compa-red to 2012. Although the number of Chinese tourists has been increasing in the UK, they could be more nume-rous if restrictions for visas were sof-tened. The UK visa system has been criticized for hampering inbound tou-rism. Nonetheless, the UK Chancellor has recently announced that Chinese visitors who are given a Schengen visa will also receive a visa to enter the UK, provided they travel with a selection of approved tour operators. Business people will also be able to apply for
a “super-priority” visa, which will be processed within 24 hours rather than a week. Tourists from the United States were the second biggest spenders with growth of almost 40% on the num-ber of transactions. There has always been strong tourism links between the United States and Europe, however, the strengthening of the US Dollar and a weakening British Pound has given American visitors increased spending power in recent months.Within the Middle East, the important source markets are the six nations also known as Gulf countries: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. They accounted for 22% of total sales, ma-king them the top region for tax free shoppers in the UK. Kuwait stood out amongst consumers from the Middle-East and performed strongly especially in the UK, accounting for 6% of total sales, an increase of more than 40% compared to 2012. One of the rea-sons for this increase can be attributed to British Airways ongoing investment in the country as they increased capa-city on their Kuwaiti route by more than 20%. Secondly, VisitBritain (UK Tourism Board) have run a number of successful marketing campaigns in recent months in the Middle East, fo-cusing especially on Kuwaiti travellers. Tourists from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were also more numerous in the UK with an increase of 34% and 40% on the number of transactions. This trend should conti-nue as from January 1st 2014, citizens from Oman, Qatar and United Arab
Emirates won’t need a visa to enter the UK if they stay less than 6 months. They will only need to fill an on-line request at least 48 hours before entering the country. The exemption should also be extended to citizens of Kuwait during 2014. These changes come after an increase of 29% on the number of visas requested by the tourists from the Middle-east. The rise in the number of tourists should continue in 2014 and VisitBritain predicts new tourism heights will be reached in 2014. They forecast an increase of nearly 2% in overseas visitor numbers that will result in a record-breaking visitor spend of around £21.5 billion, representing growth of 4.2% in nominal terms. Additionally, the agency predicts that the volume of visits will return to pre-global financial crisis record levels of 2008, with 32.6 million arrivals in 2014.
United Kingdom
AUSTRALIA Traveller profile p.45
CHINA Traveller profile p.33
UNITED STATES Traveller profile p.41
KUWAIT
NORWAY Traveller profile p.47
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 7
Top 10 Nationalities by sales value
China 18.4% 26.6% £506
United States 6.2% 23.7% £186
Kuwait 6.1% 42.2% £334
Saudi Arabia 4.3% 23.8% £381
United Arab Emirates 4.3% 21.2% £432
Russia 4.2% 13.8% £305
Nigeria 3.6% 31.4% £298
Thailand 3.5% 46.0% £455
Qatar 3.1% 19.4% £492
Australia 2.8% 21.3% £139
Total 56.5%
Market Share Sales Growth in Sales
Average
Transaction ValueNationalities
UN
ITE
D K
ING
DO
M
Top 10 Nationalities
by number of
transactions
China 10.6% 29.3%
United States 9.8% 38.8%
Australia 6.0% 43.3%
Norway 5.5% 55.9%
Kuwait 5.3% 43.2%
Russia 4.0% 36.1%
Nigeria 3.5% 45.7%
Saudi Arabia 3.3% 34.0%
Canada 3.0% 43.6%
United Arab Emirates 2.9% 40.8%
Total 54.0%
Market Share Transactions Growth in Transactions
Nationalities
NORWAY
AUSTRALIA
UNITED STATES
CHINA
KUWAIT
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
4%
3%
2%
9%
8%
7%
6%
14%
13%
12%
11%
19%
18%
17%
16%
Activity tracker by % of annual volume
United Kingdom
Note: 17% of the total annual transactions from Kuwaiti were processed in August.* Nationalities to follow in 2014
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
8
Number of transaction by sales range
Less than £100 50.2%
From £101 to £200 23.5%
From £201 to £500 16.9%
From £501 to £1,000 5.1%
From £1,001 to £2,000 2.2%
Greater than £2,001 2.0%
UN
ITE
D K
ING
DO
M
Top 3 cities
for tax free sales
Top 4 weeks
for tax free sales 2013
London - estimated to have welco-med 16 million tourists in 2013. Between July and September, 4.9M visited the city, a growth of 20% on 2012. The arrival of the Royal baby, a long hot summer and popular exhi-bitions around the capital’s mu-seums are all credited for bringing more tourists to the city;
Bicester Village - a shopping outlet in Oxfordshire, opened in April 1995 and is the main attraction in Bicester;
Edinburgh - receives over 1 million tourists every year captivated by the Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Bo-tanic Gardens, among other attrac-tions. Tourists from China, the United States, Norway and Australia are some of the leading shoppers in Princes Street and Multrees Walk.
London
Glasgow
Liverpool
Bristol
1
2
3
LONDON
BICESTER
EDINBURGH
24th to 30th JUNE 2013 Week
26
1st to 7th JULY 2013
8th to 14th JULY 2013
12th to 18th AUGUST 2013
Bicester
Edinburgh
Week
27
Week
28
Week
33
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 9
€1,170 Average transaction value
Minimum Amounteligible for tax free sales
€175.01
COUNTRY Analysis
France
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
10
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
FR
AN
CE
Currently France is the most visited country in the world with more than 80 million foreign arrivals annual-ly and around 35 billion euro in tourism revenue. The most visited cities are Paris, Lyon, Toulouse and Nice. Although more than 50% of all tourists in France are from Eu-rope, the number of tourists from non-EU countries has been increa-sing steadily. The French hotel industry registered 38.6% more occupation from Chinese tourists in the first quarter of 2013. Accor-ding to the World Tourism Organi-zation, 1.8 million Chinese tourists are expected to visit France alone in 2013/2014.
Busiest months for tax free sales in France are July, August and Sep-tember, accounting for 32% of the total number of transactions in 2013. Chinese tourists were by far the leading spenders in tax free sales, representing 27% of the total sales, a growth of 29% compared to 2012. France is their favourite destination for luxury shopping and since the Franco-German visa application centres were opened in different cities in China in October 2012, there has been a rise of 20% on the number of visas issued. Most Chinese tou-rists consider shopping for luxury goods the main purpose of a trip to France. Remarkably, between 2010 and 2013 the growth in tax free sales for Chinese tourists was over 300%.
Visitors from Thailand registered the second highest growth in 2013, an increase of 17.5% compared to 2012. From 2010 to 2013 growth was over 170%. Europe is the se-cond most popular destination for outbound Thai travellers, just behind East Asia.
Russian tourists were the second lea-din spender, accounting for 11% of total sales, a growth of 4% compa-red to 2012. Russians are traditional buyers of luxury products in France. They also have contributed to the emergence of a luxury segment in new destinations like the French Riviera and Courchevel. There is a strong belief that the possession of super-premium brands can assure better positioning in Russian society, therefore, Russian millionaires are actively demonstrating their wealth through visible luxury branded goods. Luxury writing instruments, watches and jewellery will remain core products for these wealthy cus-tomers. Customization of products is extremely attractive to these super rich and elite customers.
Tourists from the Unites States were the third biggest spenders in France growing by 7% compared to 2012. Meanwhile, tourists from Brazil were less numerous in 2013 decrea-sing by 12% on sales year-on-year. Although France is considered one of their favourite places for vaca-tion, Brazilians will travel more often to shop in the United States due to
the proximity and lower prices, especially among mid-range brands. Additionally, the devaluation of the Brazilian Real (es-timated at 17% in 2013) also contribu-ted to this decrease in sales.
International tourist arrivals are expected to reach 87 million by 2015 in France. The strategy of the French tourism board is to increase the tourism sector value by 3.5% per year and to position France as the top country in terms of inbound tourism receipts, to reach €49 billion in 2020. French Tourism Board also aims to attract more “high-end” travellers by promoting the country’s numerous at-tractions – especially in regions such as Rhône-Alpes and the Landes to comple-ment the well-known and traditional at-tractions of Paris and the French Riviera.
France
THAILAND Traveller profile p.49
CHINA Traveller profile p.33
RUSSIATraveller profile p.37
UNITED STATES Traveller profile p.41
SOUTH KOREA Traveller profile p.51
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 11
Activity tracker by % of annual volume
Note: 14.5% of the total annual transactions from Chinese were processed in July.* Nationalities to follow in 2014
Top 10 Nationalities by sales value
China 26.8% 28.6% €1,779
Russia 11.4% 4.5% €1,310
United States 5.7% 7.3% €1,059
Hong Kong 4.7% -2.6% €1,948
South Korea 4.2% 8.8% €1,192
Japan 3.6% -35.6% €802
Brazil 3.2% -11.9% €718
Saudi Arabia 2.5% -11.6% €1,311
Thailand 2.4% 17.5% €1,555
Singapore 2.4% -1.5% €1,428
Total 66.8%
Market Share Sales Growth in Sales
Average
Transaction ValueNationalities
FR
AN
CE
Top 10 Nationalities
by number of
transactions
China 17.6% 21.7%
Russia 10.2% 2.6%
United States 6.3% -1.0%
Japan 5.3% -32.7%
Brazil 5.3% -17.7%
South Korea 4.1% 13.2%
Morocco 2.9% -2.7%
Hong Kong 2.8% -5.0%
Algeria 2.4% -5.0%
Saudi Arabia 2.2% -3.3%
Total 59.1%
Market Share Transactions Growth in Transactions
Nationalities
SOUTH KOREA
THAILAND
RUSSIA
CHINA
UNITED STATES
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
4%
3%
2%
9%
8%
7%
6%
14%
13%
12%
11%
19%
18%
17%
16%
France
SOUTH KOREA Traveller profile p.51
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
12
Number of transaction by sales range
Less than €250 28.3%
From €250 to €500 35.9%
From €500 to €1,000 20.5%
From €1,000 to €2,000 9.8%
From €2,000 to €3,000 2.6%
Greater than €3,000 2.8%
FR
AN
CE
Top 3 cities
for tax free sales
Top 4 weeks
for tax free sales 2013
Paris - receives around 16 million tourists every year and it is, along with London, the most visited city in Europe. Main attractions are the Notre-Dame Cathedral, Louvre Mu-seum and Eiffel Tower. Paris is home to several French luxury brands and also accounts for some of the world’s most famous shopping streets such as Champs-Elysées and Avenue Montaigne;
Serris - located 40 min outside Paris and is well known for the outlet La Vallée Village and Disneyland Paris (15.9 million tourists visited Disney-land in 2012). Tourists from China, Russia, Middle-East and Brazil are the most frequent shoppers in La Val-lée;
Cannes - part of the French Riviera and is renowned for its beaches and the Film Festival in May. During the summer months, the city has a huge influx of tourists, especially from Rus-sia.
1
2
3
PARIS
SERRIS
(Val d’Europe)
CANNES
24th to 30th JUNE 2013
1st to 7th JULY 2013
12th to 18th AUGUST 2013
19th to 25th AUGUST 2013
Paris
Serris
Cannes
Lyon
Bordeaux
Toulouse
Week
26
Week
27
Week
33
Week
34
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 13
€1,033 Average transaction value
Minimum Amounteligible for tax free sales
COUNTRY Analysis
Italy
€154.94
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
14
ITA
LY
Italy is home to several luxury brands and combines beautiful landscapes, historical cities, re-nowned famous cuisine, beaches and ski stations. The most visited cities are Rome, Milan, Venice and Florence. Europe and the United States are the biggest markets for inbound tourism in Italy.
Nearly 12 million Germans vis-ited Italy in 2012, making it the number one tourist market for the country, followed by 4 million visitors from the UK and 3 million from the United States. Tourists from the United States spent 11% more in tax free sales in 2013 compared to 2012. Although Chinese tourists have slightly few-er transactions compared to Rus-sians, they will dedicate a higher budget for shopping and are now the top spending nationality on luxury goods.
They accounted for 22% of the total sales recorded by Premier Tax Free, a growth of 35% in sales between 2012 and 2013 and 220% from 2010. Accord-ing to the Italian Embassy in Chi-na, visas for tourist groups from Beijing have increased by about 30% in 2012. Italy has been ac-tively promoting the country in China where a Chinese website for tourism in Italy was launched along with a hotline in Chinese. Their aim is to have over one mil-
lion Chinese tourists visiting Italy during the Milan Expo in 2015.
Tourists from China are the high-est spenders representing 22% of the tax free sales in Italy and al-most 36% growth in sales (+17% growth in the number of transac-tions). They recorded the second highest growth after tourists from Ukraine and this trend should continue in 2014 as Chinese tourists are attracted to Italian Food, Culture and Fashion.
Russian shoppers are the second highest spenders with growth of 17% in the total sales from 2012 (first in number of transactions).
For Russian tourists, Italy is a popular destination for sightsee-ing trips, beaches and ski resorts. A favourite beach resort is Forte dei Marmi in Tuscany. Travellers both rich and budget-conscious are attracted to Milan and its fashion sales.
Although Japanese visitors had a negative growth between 2012 and 2013 (-31%), they remain the third biggest spenders in Italy. Tourists from Thailand en-tered the top 10 for the first time in 2013 with a growth of almost 30% in sales. They have the sec-ond highest average spend per transaction (€ 1380), after tour-ists from Hong Kong (€ 1690). The highest growth in sales was
from tourists from Ukraine (+ 42%) and if the same growth is registered in 2014, they will surpass spend from Brazilians.
The National Agency of Tourism es-timated that more than 49 million tourists visited Italy in 2013 and the 2014 forecast offers even bet-ter prospects, with an additional 3% increase on the number in inbound tourists. Non-European countries are expected to grow by 4.8% this year, thanks to the stability of the American market and rise of purchasing power from emerging economies.
Italy
THAILAND Traveller profile p.49
CHINA Traveller profile p.33
RUSSIA Traveller profile p.37
JAPANTraveller profile p.43
UKRAINE
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 15
Top 10 Nationalities by sales value
China 22.5% 35.9% €1,287
Russia 20.8% 17.7% €1,053
Japan 5.3% -31.0% €728
United States 5.0% 11.6% €830
Hong Kong 4.8% 17.4% €1,690
Taiwan 4.7% -1.0% €1,116
Singapore 3.1% -2.6% €1,251
Thailand 2.9% 29.5% €1,379
Brazil 2.5% 7.2% €791
Ukraine 2.4% 42.3% €1,183
Total 74.0%
Market Share Sales Growth in Sales
Average
Transaction ValueNationalities
ITA
LY
Top 10 Nationalities
by number of
transactions
Russia 20.4% 17.3%
China 18.0% 15.1%
Japan 7.5% -30.3%
United States 6.2% 4.9%
Taiwan 4.3% -7.0%
Brazil 3.2% 0.1%
Hong Kong 2.9% 2.5%
Singapore 2.6% -6.7%
Thailand 2.2% 21.9%
Ukraine 2.1% 37.7%
Total 69.5%
Market Share Transactions Growth in Transactions
Nationalities
UKRAINE
THAILAND
RUSSIA
CHINA
UNITED STATES
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
4%
3%
2%
9%
8%
7%
6%
14%
13%
12%
11%
19%
18%
17%
16%
Activity tracker by % of annual volume
Note: 19% of the total annual transactions from Thais were processed in April.
Italy
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
16
Number of transaction by sales range
Less than €250 23.2%
From €251 to €500 27.9%
From €501 to €1,000 20.4%
From €1,001 to €2,000 14.5%
From €2,001 to €3,000 6.4%
Greater than €3,001 7.7%
ITA
LY
Top 3 cities
for tax free sales
Top 4 weeks
for tax free sales 2013
Rome - 8 million tourists visited Rome and the most popular historical sites are the Coliseum, St. Peter’s Basilica and Circus Maximum. Via Condotti is one of the most famous streets in Rome and receives a large amount of shop-pers, especially from China, Russia and Japan;
Milan - home to Via Montena-poleone, the most important street in the Milan Fashion District and home to many luxury brands. Tourists from Rus-sian are biggest tax free shoppers in Milan, followed by tourists from China, Hong Kong and Ukraine. The Milan Cathedral, one of the largest Gothic Cathedral is the main tourist attraction;
Florence - a Renaissance city located in Tuscany, is famous for its cathedrals, elegant buildings and squares such as Piazza della Signoria. The most famous streets for shopping are Via Tornabuoni and Via della Vigna Nuova that re-ceives shoppers from Russia (biggest shoppers in Milano), China, Hong Kong and Ukraine.
1
2
3
ROME
MILAN
FLORENCE
1st to 7th JULY 2013
8th to 14th JULY 2013
16th to 22th SEPT 2013
23th to 29th SEPT 2013
Rome
Palermo
Milan
Florence
Napoli
Venice
Week
27
Week
28
Week
38
Week
39
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 17
€373 Average transaction value
Minimum Amounteligible for tax free sales
COUNTRY Analysis
Spain
€90.15
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
18
SP
AIN
Spain is the second most visited country in Europe and the fourth worldwide. Besides European tourists from the UK and Ger-many, Spain has been attracting more tourists from Russia and Latin America. From January to December 2013, 1.58 Million Russians visited Spain, a growth of 31.6% compared to the same period in 2012.
The Spanish Tourism Board cred-its a rise in the number of direct flights to Spain, easier visa rules and the growing appetite of Rus-sia’s middle class for foreign travel as the main reasons for the continued success of Spain’s travel market. Furthermore a new Spanish Visa application centre opened in Omsk in March 2013. Situated almost 2,300 kilome-tres from Moscow, in the heart of south western Siberia, the open-ing of this centre will encourage the city’s 1.2 million habitants to discover Spain.
Tourists from South America were also more numerous, account-ing for 20% of total transactions processed in Spain, a growth of 38% compared to 2012. In May 2013, the Spanish Tourism Office launched a campaign to attract more tourists from Latin America. Entiled “I need Spain”, based on the sanctuary of their country, as well as its cultural attractions, large choice of shopping venues
and the vast array of high end hotels.
Chinese visitors surpassed tour-ists from the United States and are now the second biggest spenders in Spain, a growth of more than 40% on total sales. According to the Spanish Tourism Board, in the first 10 months of 2013 there was a 33% rise in Chinese tourists to the country.
They predict that over 200,000 Chinese tourists visited Spain in 2013 (177,000 in 2012). Their aim is to welcome 1 million Chi-nese tourists in 2020. To reach this goal, it essential to increase the number of direct flights from China to Spain and teach the staff at the stores basics of Mandarin and cultural aspects . Today there are only four direct connections a week, while France and Ger-many have over 60 direct flights a week.
The total number of tourists in 2013 surpassed 2012; from January to December 60.6 mil-lion people visited Spain, an in-crease of +5.6% from 2012. The total spend from foreign tourists reached 59 billion euros (+ 9.6%) and it is a significant boost to the Spanish economy, which depends on tourism for more than 10% of its economic activity. Most visited cities are Barcelona, Madrid, Se-ville and Malaga. The region of
Cataluña received 27.1% of the total number of tourists in Spain, accord-ing to the Spanish Tourism Board.
This trend should continue as some European airlines announced that they are adding extra routes to Spain to fulfil the Autumn/Winter season.
Ryanair also announced new routes to their 2013-2014 winter schedules and Norwegian Air increased the number of direct flights to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Malaga and Alicante.
Spain
UNITED STATES Traveller profile p.41
CHINA Traveller profile p.33
RUSSIA Traveller profile p.37
BRAZILTraveller profile p.39
MEXICO
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 19
Top 10 Nationalities by sales value
Russia 20.5% 49.7% €360
China 10.1% 41.5% €590
United States 3.9% 82.7% €460
Brazil 3.6% 10.5% €296
Mexico 2.8% 25.7% €334
Venezelua 2.2% 41.1% €260
Argentina 2.1% 25.1% €237
Morocco 2.1% 28.5% €338
Ukraine 1.8% 69.0% €462
Singapore 1.6% 44.7% €604
Total 50.7%
Market Share Sales Growth in Sales
Average
Transaction ValueNationalities
SP
AIN
Top 10 Nationalities
by number of
transactions
Russia 21.3% 51.2%
China 6.4% 33.0%
Brazil 4.5% 17.1%
Argentina 3.4% 39.1%
Venezuela 3.2% 61.2%
United States 3.2% 80.0%
Mexico 3.1% 32.7%
Morocco 2.4% 28.5%
Colombia 2.0% 43.4%
Norway 1.9% 296.1%
Total 51.3%
Market Share Transactions Growth in Transactions
Nationalities
MEXICO
UNITED STATES
RUSSIA
CHINA
BRAZIL
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
4%
3%
2%
9%
8%
7%
6%
14%
13%
12%
11%
19%
18%
17%
16%
Activity tracker by % of annual volume
Note: 18.5% of the total annual transactions from Russians were processed in July.
Spain
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
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20
Number of transaction by sales range
Less than €100 11.9%
From €101 to €200 49.7%
From €201 to €500 26.8%
From €501 to €1,000 6.2%
From €1,001 to €2,000 2.8%
Greater than €2,001 2.6%
SP
AIN
Top 3 cities
for tax free sales
Top 4 weeks
for tax free sales 2013
Barcelona - most famous for Gaudi’s magnificent Sagrada Familia Cathe-dral, La Rambla street and the Parc Guell. Tourists also visit and shop in Passeig de Gracia street for luxury brands and in Rambla de Catalunya street for fast fashion stores.
Madrid - Spain’s capital welcomed around 6 million tourists every year. Its main attractions are the Retiro Park and the Plaza Mayor. Salamanca Dis-trict Area is the most famous for shop-ping including Calle Ortega y Gasset street where most of the luxury brands are located.
Malaga - lies on the Costa del Sol and seduces tourists with its beaches and a variety of restaurants and bars with trendy rooftop terraces. Malaga has also a great number of museums, including Picasso Museum opened in 2013 and shopping pedestrian areas such as Calle Marqués de Larios near the port.
1
2
3
BARCELONA
MADRID
MALAGA
1st to 7th JULY 2013
12th to 18th AUGUST 2013
19th to 25th AUGUST 2013
26th to 31th AUGUST 2013
Barcelona
Almeria
Madrid
Málaga
León
Valencia
Week
27
Week
33
Week
34
Week
35
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 21
COUNTRY Analysis
Germany
€542 Average transaction value
Minimum Amounteligible for tax free sales
€ 25
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
22
GE
RM
AN
Y
Germany is the fourth most vis-ited country in Europe after Italy, accounting for around 30.4 Mil-lion tourists each year. The most visited cities are Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt. Berlin received 12.4 Million tourists in 2012. Berlin has always been a popular destination for tourists and luxury shoppers from Eastern Europe. It hosts 38 out of the 100 top luxury brands and is attract-ing more and more tourists from China and Thailand. According to German Tourism Statistics, tourists from Asia rank in the top 2 behind European tourists, with share of 11% of the total Ger-man tourism (2.1 million Asia travellers in Germany in 2012), according to IPK International’s World Travel Monitor.
Chinese shoppers accounted for a stunning one third of the total tax free sales in 2013, with in-crease of 14% from 2012. France and Germany opened joint visa centres to facilitate their travel to Europe and Lufthansa is the second largest airline on Europe-China routes (accounting for 37% of the total seats), after Air China. German travel boards have also adopted the strategy of recruiting Chinese speakers for tour com-panies and the retailers. Accord-ing to the German tourism board, since 2009, overnight stays by Chinese in Germany reached 1.6 million in 2012, followed by
Japanese at 1.3 million. In 2012, the most visited regions by Chi-nese travellers in Germany were Bavaria, Hesse, Baden-Wuert-temberg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin.
German tourism authorities are also targeting outbound tourists from Thailand, having identified the country as a key Asian growth market given its rapidly growing middle class. They made 55,000 trips to Germany in 2012 and the tourism board expect that they will receive 100,000 Thai visitors (annually) by 2020. Although the number of tourists is 15 times smaller compared to the Chinese, accounting for only 4% of the total sales, they had the second highest growth of tax free sales from 2012 to 2013 (+39%). Av-erage spend per transaction is also the second highest (€ 1190) just after tourists from Hong Kong (€1230).
Arabic countries are the fourth most important tourists in Ger-many and about 450,000 visi-tors have arrived at German air-ports during the first six months of 2013, 74% of them for tour-ism purposes. They accounted for 9.8% of the total tax free sales in 2013, a growth of 26% from 2012.
In 2014 we should expect a high-er number of tourists from Asia
and the Middle-East. The popular-ity of the country is also linked to its safeness: Germany has been rated by Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Reports as the safest travel destina-tion worldwide. From the Baltic Sea to the Alps, Germany today is more popular as a tourist destination than it has ever been before.
Germany
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Traveller profile p.35
CHINA Traveller profile p.33
RUSSIA Traveller profile p.37
THAILANDTraveller profile p.49
TAIWAN
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
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PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 23
Top 10 Nationalities by sales value
China 30.5% 13.9% €645
Russia 15.8% 21.1% €670
Thailand 4.3% 39.2% €1,190
United Arab Emirates 3.3% 16.6% €589
Hong Hong 2.3% 1.5% €1,230
Taiwan 2.2% 14.0% €516
Kuwait 2.0% 50.5% €574
Singapore 1.9% -1.1% €867
Ukraine 1.8% 24.0% €850
Switzerland 1.8% 30.2% €289
Total 65.9%
Market Share Sales Growth in Sales
Average
Transaction ValueNationalities
GE
RM
AN
Y
Top 10 Nationalities
by number of
transactions
China 25.7% 9.5%
Russia 12.7% 21.0%
Switzerland 3.3% 45.4%
United Arab Emirates 3.0% 17.6%
Japan 2.4% -10.1%
Taiwan 2.3% 22.7%
Thailand 2.0% 27.5%
Kuwait 1.9% 65.4%
United States 1.7% 16.1%
Brazil 1.3% 12.8%
Total 56.3%
Market Share Transactions Growth in Transactions
Nationalities
TAIWAN
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
RUSSIA
CHINA
THAILAND
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
4%
3%
2%
9%
8%
7%
6%
14%
13%
12%
11%
19%
18%
17%
16%
Activity tracker by % of annual volume
Note: 24% of the total annual transactions from tourists from United Arab Emirates were processed in August.
Germany
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
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24
Number of transaction by sales range
Less than €100 29.8%
From €101 to €200 22.6%
From €201 to €500 24.7%
From €501 to €1, 000 10.5%
From €1,001 to €2,000 6.1%
Greater than €2,001 6.3%
GE
RM
AN
Y
Top 3 cities
for tax free sales
Top 4 weeks
for tax free sales 2013
Munich - the third largest city in Ger-many and most visited attractions are the historic square Marienplatz, the Cathedral Frauenkirche and the beer hall Hofbräuhaus. The most famous streets for shopping in Munich are Maximillianstrasse and Theatinerstraße for luxury brands, and Kaufingerstraße for its department stores
Frankfurt - the main places to shop are in the pedestrian zone of Zeil. This shopping area has a large concentra-tion of luxury boutiques, department stores and a modern shopping centre with 10 floors called `Zeil Galerie’.
Berlin - most visited attractions are the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate and the historic Reichstag building. In the shopping streets of Kurfürsten-damm and Friedrichstrasse many ex-clusive and luxury products can be found, while young adults and students normally go shopping at Hackischer Markt. Additionally the shopping malls of Alexa and Schloβtraβe are popular for tourists.
1
2
3
MUNICH
FRANKFURT
BERLIN
12th to 18th AUGUST 2013
19th to 25th AUGUST 2013
26th to 31th AUGUST 2013
16th to 21th SEPT 2013
Berlin
Dresden
Frankfurt
Munich
Hanover
Stuttgart
Week
33
Week
34
Week
35
Week
38
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 25
€ 377 Average transaction value
Minimum Amounteligible for tax free sales
COUNTRY Analysis
Portugal
€61.35
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26
Top 5 Nationalities by transactions
Top 5 Nationalities by sales value
Angola 36.6% 32.7% €372
Brazil 26.6% 4.6% €322
China 7.1% 89.2% €1,102
Russia 6.0% 44.9% €366
Mozambique 2.6% 33.8% €301
Total 79.0%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
Average
Transaction
ValueNationalities
BRAZIL
ANGOLA
CHINA
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
4%
3%
2%
9%
8%
7%
6%
14%
13%
12%
11%
19%
18%
17%
16%
PO
RT
UG
AL
Angola and Brazil accounted for 63% of the total sales in 2013 in Portugal. The number of shopping transactions for tourists from Angola increased by over 30% and Brazilians registered a growth of 9% on transactions. Portugal is a very important hub, especially for tourists from northern Brazil, not only due to the language and cultural links but also as Portugal is the first port of call for tourists entering Europe on the Schengen visa, thanks to direct flights to Lisbon with the airline TAP. Tourists from China are now the third biggest spenders in Portugal with growth of 89% on sales compared to 2012, followed by tourists from Russia who increased spend by 45%. In 2012, 143,000 Russians visited Portugal, 40% more than in 2011. As a result, a Portuguese visa centre was opened in Moscow in 2013, to encourage and facilitate tourism and business links between the two countries.
Angola 31.7% 32.8%
Brazil 31.1% 8.9%
Russia 6.2% 38.1%
Mozambique 3.3% 28.5%
China 2.4% 65.5%
Total 80.1%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
SalesNationalities
PortugalTop 3 cities
for tax free sales
LISBON
PORTO
ALCOCHETE
1
2
3
ANGOLA
BRAZIL Traveller profile p.39
CHINA Traveller profile p.33
Activity tracker by % of annual volumeNote: 16% of the total annual transactions from Angolans were processed
in July.
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 27
COUNTRY Analysis
Czech RepublicAngola 36.6% 32.7% €372
Brazil 26.6% 4.6% €322
China 7.1% 89.2% €1,102
Russia 6.0% 44.9% €366
Mozambique 2.6% 33.8% €301
Total 79.0%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
Average
Transaction
Value
BRAZIL
ANGOLA
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
LISBON
PORTO
ALCOCHETE
CZK 12,720Average transaction value
Minimum Amounteligible for tax free sales
CZK2,001
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28
Top 5 Nationalities by transactions
Top 5 Nationalities by sales value
Russia 54.1% 41.8% CZK13,563
China 7.3% 5.7% CZK13,463
Taiwan 6.2% 0.2% CZK6,007
Azerbajian 4.6% 32.8% CZK58,139
Ukraine 3.7% 26.2 % CZK15,845
Total 75.9%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
Average
Transaction
ValueNationalities
CHINA
RUSSIA
TAIWAN
19%
18%
17%
16%
CZ
EC
H R
EP
UB
LIC
Around 750,000 Russian tourists visited the Czech Republic in 2013, up 8% year on year. Russians are the second largest group of tourists visiting the Czech Republic, after Germans. According to local newspaper Prague Post, Russian tourists are interested in historical and cultural monuments, cultural events, quality tourist services, shopping and Czech spas. Most Russian tourists that visited the Czech Republic are aged between 15 and 40 years old and looking for access to entertainment and shopping. More mature tourists will visit Czech spas and historical and cultural monuments.Tourists from Russia accounted for more than half of all tax free sales in Czech Republic, a growth of 48% on the number of transactions compared to 2012. Tourists from Ukraine also registered a positive growth of 49% on the number of transactions from 2012. Chinese represents 7,3% of the total sales, with growth of 15% on the number of transactions. They should be more numerous in 2014 as repeat travellers from China are looking for new destinations to visit in Europe.
PRAGUE
KARLOVY VARY
Russia 50.8% 47.8%
Taiwan 13.0% 5.2%
China 6.9% 15.0%
Ukraine 3.0% 48.9%
United States 2.8% 15.0%
Total 76.5%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
SalesNationalities
Czech Republic
Top 2 cities
for tax free sales2
3
RUSSIATraveller profile p.37
CHINA Traveller profile p.33
TAIWAN
Activity tracker by % of annual volumeNote: 12% of the total annual transactions from Russians were processed in May.
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
4%
3%
2%
9%
8%
7%
6%
14%
13%
12%
11%
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 29
Russia 54.1% 41.8% CZK13,563
China 7.3% 5.7% CZK13,463
Taiwan 6.2% 0.2% CZK6,007
Azerbajian 4.6% 32.8% CZK58,139
Ukraine 3.7% 26.2 % CZK15,845
Total 75.9%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
Average
Transaction
Value
CHINA
RUSSIA
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
COUNTRY Analysis
Greece
Average transaction value
Minimum Amounteligible for tax free sales
€ 120
€ 597
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30
Top 5 Nationalities by transactions
Top 5 Nationalities by sales value
Russia 38.0% 51.0% €623
China 13.1% 78.0% €927
Fyro.Macedonia 7.3% 16.9% €261
Ukraine 5.9% 201.3% €1,089
United States 4.6% 12.2% €1,317
Total 69.0%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
Average
Transaction
ValueNationalities
RUSSIA
CHINA
FYRO.MACEDONIA
MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV
4%
3%
2%
9%
8%
7%
6%
14%
13%
12%
11%
19%
18%
17%
16%
GR
EE
CE
Tourists from Russia accounted for 38% of all international shopping sales in Greece. While Turkey is still the first destination for Russian tourists, followed by Egypt, Greece had the highest overall growth in number of Russian tourists between 2011 and 2012 (+69%), and are the third preferred country destination. Russia’s neighbouring countries have also been travelling more to Greece. Ukrainians accounted for 6% of total tax free sales with an increase of almost 200% on sales from 2012. Chinese tourists were the second biggest spenders with growth of 78% from 2012, accounting for 13% of total tax free sales. At the historic sites of Greece, Chinese tourists are arriving in growing numbers - a welcome boost for Greece’s biggest industry. In 2012, 100,000 Chinese visited Greece and 21,000 of these tourists flew straight from China to Greece, a 25% rise on 2011. Chinese are also travelling more for business in Greece; they are the current managers of the Greek port of Piraeus and they are also interested in expanding its presence in other Greek ports.
Russia 36.4% 114.3%
Fyro.Macedonia 16.8% 22.8%
China 8.5% 88.9%
Serbia 8.0% 34.7%
Ukraine 3.3% 117.5%
Total 72.9%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
SalesNationalities
GreeceTop 3 cities
for tax free sales
CHINATraveller profile p.33
RUSSIA Traveller profile p.37
FYRO.MACEDONIA
Activity tracker by % of annual volume
Note: 23% of the total annual transactions from
Russians were processed in August.
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
ATHENS
THESSALONIKI
RHODES
1
2
3
JAN FEB MAR APR DEC
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 31
Russia 38.0% 51.0% €623
China 13.1% 78.0% €927
Fyro.Macedonia 7.3% 16.9% €261
Ukraine 5.9% 201.3% €1,089
United States 4.6% 12.2% €1,317
Total 69.0%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
Average
Transaction
Value
RUSSIA
CHINA
FYRO.MACEDONIA
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
ATHENS
THESSALONIKI
RHODES
COUNTRY Analysis
Singapore
$ 634 Average transaction value
Minimum Amounteligible for tax free sales
$100
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
32
Top 5 Nationalities by transactions
Top 5 Nationalities by sales value
China 20.4% 16.4% $801
Indonesia 15.8% -11.0% $537
India 12.6% 20.4% $1,186
Malaysia 3.9% 11.1% $894
Australia 2.9% -39.8% $446
Total 55.6%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
Average
Transaction
ValueNationalities
INDIA
CHINA
INDONESIA
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
4%
3%
2%
9%
8%
7%
6%
14%
13%
12%
11%
19%
18%
17%
16%
SIN
GA
PO
RE
International arrivals in Singapore for the first 11 months of 2013 grew 7.2% to 14 million from the previous year based on preliminary figures, according to Singapore’s Tourism Board. Around 76% (11 million) of visitors in 2012 were Asians compared to 73% (6.5 million) during 2005. China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and India are the top 5 markets. Tourists from China, Indonesia and India accounted for almost 50% of total tax free sales in 2013. The proximity, cleanliness, luxury shopping centres, natural scenery and beaches are some of the reasons why these visitors travel to Singapore. The number of tourists visiting Singapore should continue to rise in 2014, thanks to a fast growing middle class from neighbouring emerging economies eager to acquire luxury products that were not affordable some years ago. The city also includes other highlights such as the Formula One racing and Universal Studios Singapore. Additionally, the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions industry is also important as Singapore has been denominated for the 11th consecutive year as “Asia’s Top Convention City.
Indonesia 18.6% -7.3%
China 16.1% 23.0%
India 6.7% 14.6%
Thailand 5.0% 5.6%
Australia 4.1% -30.8%
Total 50.5%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
SalesNationalities
Singapore
CHINATraveller profile p.33
INDIA
INDONESIA
Activity tracker by % of annual volumeNote: 12% of the total annual transactions from Chinese were processed
in February.
* Nationalities to follow in 2014
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 33
More tourists in UK are expected due to revised visa application process.
Rise in the number of individual travellers after the New Chinese Law on Tourism.
TRAVELLER Profile
ChinaChina 20.4% 16.4% $801
Indonesia 15.8% -11.0% $537
India 12.6% 20.4% $1,186
Malaysia 3.9% 11.1% $894
Australia 2.9% -39.8% $446
Total 55.6%
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
Average
Transaction
Value
INDIA
CHINA
Market Share
Sales
Growth in
Sales
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34
TRAVELLER PROFILE
ChinaLuxury consumers in
China are mostly under
the age of 40. Chinese
consumers between
the ages of 20 and 30
(one child policy gene-
ration) are becoming
a significant segment
for luxury consump-
tion. Accounting for
approximately 300
million people, these
young consumers are
not only unique as a
collective group, but
they also are highly
individualistic.
Age Purpose of visit
Expanding classes
Leisure departures accounts for around 69% of total outbound trips,
25% of which are group leisure departures. Chinese individuals typi-
cally travel in groups of 3 to 10 people (68%).
Business departures increased by 13% in 2012 due to the expansion
of Chinese companies abroad.
The continuing expansion of the Chinese middle class has resulted in
increasing levels of disposable income among the population and a
rise in the desire to travel abroad.
On average, wealthy Chinese take three international trips a year,
with 33% of billionaires taking more than five annual international
trips (Euromonitor).
Chinese people are very passionate about brands and are enthusiastic shoppers. They want to be served
efficiently and appreciate suggestions in order to find the best gifts for their family and friends. They love
exclusive goods and can be sceptical of free promotions.
They travel to Europe especially during summer (July is the busiest month) and also during the official
Chinese holidays of New Year in the beginning of the year and National Day in October.
General profile
CH
INA
1 FRANCE Country analysis p.9
GERMANY Country analysis p.21
AUSTRIA
ITALY Country analysis p.13
UNITED KINGDOM Country analysis p.5
High education levels,
Predominantly male,
Prioritises convenience, therefore, they
like shopping in department stores,
shopping streets and at the airport,
Pragmatic pay more attention to the
practicality of products and services,
Focus on timeliness, comfort and health.
The Business Traveller
Top 5 destination in Europe
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
2
3
4
5
Shopping . Culture . Gastronomy . Business potential . Historical visits . Unique experiences . Theme parks . Sightseeing
The Connoisseur The Package group Traveller
Young trend setters,
Predominantly female and individualistic,
Love luxury brands and spend a great
amount of time on shopping,
Seek out shopping experiences and
exclusivity (different products to those
found in China),
Women play an important role in their
partner’s purchase decision when it
comes to luxury shopping.
Less experienced tourists,
Predominantly female and family
oriented,
Search for convenience and safety,
Value for money - they tend to shop
at department stores and outlets,
Limited time and knowledge to plan
the trip themselves thus they visit shops
close to main tourist attractions.
2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 35
TRAVELLER Profile
MiddleEast
UK to abolish visa for Saudi Arabians and tourists from Qatar.
Before and after Ramadan are preferred times to visit Europe.
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36
TRAVELLER PROFILE
International leisure
travellers from the
Middle East are more
male than female,
around 50% are
between 18-34 years
age group. More than
50% are married, with
children in the house-
hold.
Age Purpose of visit
Expanding classes
Leisure departures accounted for 90% of total outbound trips taken
in Saudi Arabia in 2012, 63% of which were family departures.
They enjoy travelling abroad specially for the variety of entertain-
ment options.
Most of international leisure travellers from the Middle East to Eu-
rope are well educated and belong to the upper socio-economic
strata of society. Some individuals travel abroad several times a
year. They like to travel further and longer of at least two weeks. The
Middle-East is characterized by a high proportion of expatriate resi-
dents that also undertake international holidays. The Gulf countries
are characterized by a high proportion of expatriate residents that
also undertake international holidays (UNWTO).
42% of tourists spend their holidays in the Middle East and 58% outside the region. Most of them try to
escape the hot summer months, and travel between June and August when the temperatures in the Gulf
States are at the highest. The periods before and after Ramadan are also very popular with Middle Eastern
tourists in Europe. Wealthy and royal individuals and families from the Middle East are seeking an authentic
and legitimate experience in Europe. Service, authenticity and exclusivity are very important factors. They
enjoy a bargain and regularly ask for a discount because it is normal for them. They also prefer to choose
the person who they will deal with and ask for assistance regarding extra services and advice.
Travellers from Middle East are most reliant on traditional sources when planning and booking. The opinion
of friends and relatives has a particularly high sway on the destination choices.
General profile
MID
DL
E E
AS
T
1 UNITED KINGDOM Country analysis p.5
GERMANY Country analysis p.21
FRANCE Country analysis p.9
TURKEY
SWITZERLAND
Most of them are expatriate,
Middle and upper-class,
Male and family oriented,
Book their trip during on the months
before and after Ramadan and the New
Year period,
They have time for shopping and will
search for a staff.
The Leisure Traveller
Top 5 destination in Europe
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
2
3
4
5
Shopping . A family day out . Social competition . Shopping experiences . Weather . Business
The Business Traveller The Visiting Traveller
Travel for business and conference
purposes,
Male,
Search for courtesy and hospitality,
Travel throughout the year therefore
there is no seasonal trend,
Average spend is relatively high.
Visiting friends and relatives,
Male and family oriented,
Travel at least once a year, sometimes
more often,
Like a sales person who respects their
customs and who knows their hierarchy
and etiquette,
Admire generosity and manners.
Middle East
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PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 37
TRAVELLER Profile
Russia
Importance of luxury brands is linked to social status.
Main holidays are during May (Victory day), summer months of July, August and January.
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38
TRAVELLER PROFILE
RussiaThe age of a wealthy
individual in Russia will
gradually decrease,
creating significant
potential in the market
for luxury goods closely
connected with the ha-
bits of young people.
Age Purpose of visit
Expanding classes
Leisure departures account for around 75% of outbound trips and busi-
ness 25%, although some business travellers will report that they are tra-
velling for leisure purposes in order to simplify visa and other processes.
More than 40% of outbound international travellers are from Moscow.
The middle class accounts for 25% of the population. There is an in-
crease in young Russian millionaires in their twenties or thirties. They wish
to take care of their image by demonstrating their wealth through visible
luxury branded goods. The belief that possession of super-premium
brands can assure better position in society is strong in Russia.
Russians wish to take care of their image by demonstrating their wealth through visible luxury branded
goods. Russians traditionally love glitz and glamour. They cherish fashion and luxury goods, especially
writing instruments, watches and jewellery which remain at the epicentre of the wealthiest class.
They are very proud, sensitive and spontaneous shoppers who tend to ‘think big’. Russian visitors are
prepared to pay for a wide range of services but expect high standards in return. They are direct and like
to be treated with respect.
It is becoming common practice for Russian men to invest more in their own looks by choosing goods
which were not common heretofore for a male consumer in Russia. Similarly, the increasing number of
business women in Russia is generating demand for traditionally luxury items.
General profile
RU
SS
IA
1 FINLAND
ESTONIA
GERMANY Country analysis p.21
ITALY Country analysis p.13
SPAIN Country analysis p.17
Working for foreign companies (banks,
energy sector, government),
Predominantly male and older,
Status is very important,
Interested in cheaper branded goods
and classical brands,
They are very concerned about
appearance as they believe this is a
reflection of their success.
The Business Traveller
Top 5 destination in Europe
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
2
3
4
5
Shopping . Luxury . Weather . Gastronomy . Traditionalism . Study . Business . Well known attractions
The Luxury Traveller The Young Upper Traveller
Higher education,
Rich and ultra-rich middle aged,
Predominantly couple and male
oriented,
More interested in power than money,
they search for conspicuous, exclusivity,
customisation and luxury services,
Have no need to acquire goods for status,
They are interested in the link between
culture and history in their purchases.
Young cosmopolitan employed by
multinationals or big Russian groups,
Speak fluent English,
Travels frequently,
Predominantly individual and couples
with children, travel in small groups,
Searches for authentic brands. They are
extremely brand and status conscious,
They are interested in concept stores,
designers and they praise technology.
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PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 39
TRAVELLER Profile
Brazil
The World Cup could negatively affect the number of Brazilian tourists in Europe this year.
Devaluation of Brazilian Real had a negative impact on the number of outbound Brazilian tourists.
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40
TRAVELLER PROFILE
BrazilMainly travel indivi-
dually or as a couple
(partner, friend, fa-
mily member). Family
groups are rare but
they travel sometimes
with children under the
age of eighteen.
Age Purpose of visit
Expanding classes
Leisure departures accounted for 70% of outbound trips in Brazil in
2012, 42% of leisure trips were by singles.
Brazil’s middle class is growing significantly, providing individuals
with increased means for expenditure and the ability to travel over-
seas. The upper class travel frequently to Europe and United States
for shopping. Due to the high import rates, the luxury products are
much more expensive in Brazil compared to Europe.
Brazilians shop a lot but it’s changing. They are still shopping in the United States because of proximity,
cheaper prices and exchange rate but there is a decrease in shopping in Europe. According to ITB, out-
bound visitors who travelled first in 2008 and 2009 are experimenting with new or different destinations
such as Dubai and Turkey.
They want an authentic tourism experience and affordable travel. They want to choose their travel destina-
tions because of the country currency rates.
They travel in distinctive groups. They sometimes join friends or family members for a few days during their
travels but they mainly travel in couples. This implies that they dislike travelling in organised groups.
They search for relationships and loyalty. Showing enthusiasm will have a positive impact. They treasure
social conversation before getting to the point of business.
Brazilians constantly seek the opinion of peers and word of mouth plays an important role in the early stages
of their shopping experience.
General profile
BR
AZ
IL
1 FRANCE Country analysis p.9
ITALY Country analysis p.13
PORTUGAL Country analysis p.25
ITALY Country analysis p.13
UNITED KINGDOM Country analysis p.5
X/Y generations,
Interested by middle range brands
(Masstige, Premium),
Looking for innovations and trends, they
want a full social life, deeply felt and full
of emotion,
Prioritise pleasure of traveling therefore
they like shopping in department stores,
Curious, providing advice on products is
very much appreciated.
The Young Middle Traveller
Top 5 destination in Europe
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
2
3
4
5
Shopping . Culture . Gastronomy . Study . Historical sites . Fashion trends . Wine
The Trend Traveller The Luxury Repeater Traveller
Predominantly couples and friends
travelling without children,
Interested by countries where they have
their roots and cultural heritage,
Trendsetters, high-end brands oriented,
Focus on urban tourism,
Preoccupied with fashion as well as by
world of glittering social activity,
Appreciate personalized attention and
top-of-the-range facilities and service.
High education levels,
Predominantly female,
Travel frequently to Europe for the
European way of life and for shopping,
Looking for originality and creativity, they
love to be surprised and can be finicky,
Appreciate taking time to decide and
enjoy strolling through streets and stores,
They will shop in luxury stores and buy
top end products, specially shoes and bags.
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PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 41
TRAVELLER Profile
United States
Middle aged travellers close to retirement are an important segment.
Preferred time to visit Europe is from June to September.
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42
American tourists to Eu-
rope tend to be middle-
aged or older, wealthier
and better educated.
American baby boo-
mers are coming in to
retirement age and will
have more time to travel,
particularly to long-haul
destinations.
Age Purpose of visit
Expanding classes
Leisure departures accounted for 82% of outbound trips in the USA in
2012, which was distributed relatively equally between singles (32%),
couples (29%) and families (25%).
Business trips decreased by 13% during the five year period of 2007-
2012 due to the impact of the recession of US businesses. According
to UNWOTO, Most of the American tourists to Europe visit only one
country per trip (70%).
Middle aged travellers with no children at home and strong purcha-
sing power will travel to Europe most often.
American tourists like to be in places where traditional local products are showcased. They are interested in
discovering and learning about history. They travel mostly from May to September.
They are casual; they communicate their requirements easily and appreciate recommendations.
They are open, adventurous and passionate. They seek out a friendly and personalised service.
General profile
UN
ITE
D S
TA
TE
S
1 UNITED KINGDOMCountry analysis p.5
FRANCECountry analysis p.9
ITALY Country analysis p.13
GERMANY Country analysis p.21
SPAIN Country analysis p.17
High social status and revenues,
Appreciate comfort,
Travel to learn and to discover something new,
Cherish experiences that allow them to
live like ‘local’ person,
Formerly interested in fashion trends,
they are more interested in authenticity
and loyalty,
They love concept stores and unique
shopping area.
The Single Traveller
Top 5 destination in Europe
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
2
3
4
5
Shopping . Culture . Gastronomy . Business . Historical sites . Study . Visit friends and relatives . Pilgrimages / Religion . Health treatment .
The Y Traveller The Family Traveller
High end, experienced and fashionable
travellers,
Comprised of singles and couples,
Predominantly female,
Love innovative and young exclusive
brands,
They appreciate European luxury
expertise and well-known street areas,
Search for customised products,
exclusivity and fashion trends.
Middle class traveller with a very high
purchasing power,
Travels with family, often with children,
City dwelling,
Search authentic and culturally
distinctive experiences,
Seek a sales person who respects their
habits and understands the importance of
hierarchy and ‘moral values’,
They are focused on short term
purchases.
TRAVELLER PROFILE
United States
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PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 43
TRAVELLER Profile
Japan
The average duration of outbound trips is 4-7 days.
Rise in retired travellers that are less inclined to buy luxury goods.
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44
TRAVELLER PROFILE
JapanSeniors, particularly baby
boomers, have been tra-
velling abroad as they
are reaching retirement
age and have increased
time for travel notably to
locations which are fur-
ther away.
Age Purpose of visit
Expanding classes
Leisure departures accounted for 82% of outbound trips in Japan in
2012, 34% of these trips were taken as part of a group.
By taking advantage of the strong Japanese yen, there is a growing
number of young people travelling overseas. With plenty of time to
travel, young people were eager to learn something new about dif-
ferent cultures and lifestyles while traveling abroad.
Sophisticated Japanese tourists are obsessive about presentation, cleanliness and finesse of details.
They acknowledge when sales people pay attention to their questions and take time to inform them. They
love personal services.
Japanese enjoy returning to their favourite places. They are polite and formal. They want their experience
in Europe to be ‘special’, particularly women who have a low status in Japan.
Japanese believe that turning down someone’s request can cause embarrassment and loss of face to the
other person which explains why most Japanese people maintain an impassive expression when speaking.
Saving face in society is extremely important and is a mark of personal dignity.
General profile
JA
PA
N
1 ITALY Country analysis p.13
GERMANY Country analysis p.21
FRANCE Country analysis p.9
UNITED KINGDOM Country analysis p.5
SPAIN Country analysis p.17
Middle aged,
Want to experience local cultures and
explore the world,
Interested in history and brand expertise,
They love brands with a strong cultural
heritage,
Personal space is very important to
respect,
Appreciate when a sales person knows
some phrases in Japanese.
The Culture Traveller
Top 5 destination in Europe
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
2
3
4
5
Shopping . Culture . Gastronomy . Historical visits . Museums visits . Experiences . Sightseeing
The Y Traveller The Senior Traveller
Privileged class,
Travel with friends to improve their
knowledge,
Attracted to the freedom associated with
European countries,
Mainly students from well-known
universities or employees in prestigious
companies,
They love purchasing in high-end stores,
They like well-known brands and gifts.
High class
Strongly influenced by European and
American lifestyle and culture
Older Japanese people do not like
contact with strangers, particularly
physical contact.
Want a sales person who understands
their demands and provides the best
service.
Appreciate quality gifts (not necessarily
expensive gifts)
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PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 45
TRAVELLER Profile
Australia
Increase in the number of high-net-worth individual (HNWI).
Australians took advantage of their strong dollar to shop in Europe, especially in the UK.
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46
TRAVELLER PROFILE
Australia
AU
ST
RA
LIA
Middle-aged travellers
whose children are no
longer living at home,
taking full advantage of
their increased discre-
tionary expenditure and
travelling abroad.
Age Purpose of visit
Expanding classes
Leisure departures accounted for 87% of outbound visits in Australia
in 2012, 26% of this category were singles whereas 24% were com-
prised of couples.
The upper class is expected to continue to rise in Australia. In 2012,
this category represented 1.8 million people and is expected to in-
crease to 2 million by the end of the decade. The growth in the
number of professionals and individuals in well-paid employment will
increase the desire for luxury goods and international travel.
Australian men are concerned about their appearance. Apparel at
home and in the workplace are essential staples in the young affluent
wardrobe.
1 UNITED KINGDOM Country analysis p.5
ITALY Country analysis p.13
FRANCE Country analysis p.9
GERMANY Country analysis p.21
GREECE Country analysis p.29
Top 5 destination in Europe
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
2
3
4
5
Shopping . Culture . History . Heritage . Visiting friends and relatives . Sport . Beverages
General Profile
The number of Aus-tralians in the high-net-worth individual
(HNWI) category is cur-rently increasing at a higher rate than any other country internationally.
These individuals are usually defined as having investable finance in excess of one million US dollars. The increase in this HNWI
is also due to the increa-sing number of females in the workforce. These women are characterised as being well-educated and increasingly astute in their consumption of luxury goods.
The Australian population is comprised of individuals from a variety of back-grounds and heritages, therefore, the country’s citizens are interested in travelling abroad to see family, friends and to em-brace their heritage. This
is evident from the large number of Australians who visit Europe.
This demand is also illustra-ted by large airline carriers such as Ethiad and Emi-rates and their tailored air routes such as a one-stop service operating between Australia and Ireland.Cultural heritage and in-formation on European civilizations is sought out by Australian tourists.
Quality products and ser-vice delivery are perceived
as being very important but price plays a stronger role decision making. However, Australian customers are not solely focused on price as they also expect good customer service during and after their purchases.
Centrally located stores and in-store merchandising are effective tools in encou-raging Australian tourists to shop.
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TRAVELLER Profile
Norway
Increasing demand for luxury services such as spa facilities.
Singles and couples without children are the biggest travel segment.
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48
There are three impor-
tant segments: (a) fami-
lies with children, typi-
cally travel during school
holidays so they can be
together and have new
experiences; (b) singles
who travel alone or with
other singles (c) Empty
Nesters who are adult
couples, aged 45+ with
no children.
Age Purpose of visit
Expanding classes
Leisure departures accounted for 70% of outbound trips in Norway in
2012, 42% of leisure trips were by singles.
Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow welcome thousands of Norwe-
gian engineers each day working in the partner oil companies of
both countries.
Singles culture is growing and a large proportion of singles have no
children. Thus the singles’ holiday industry is expected to continue
to grow.
1 FRANCE Country analysis p.9
SPAIN Country analysis p.17
PORTUGAL Country analysis p.25
UNITED KINGDOM Country analysis p.5
ITALY Country analysis p.13
Top 5 destination in Europe
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
2
3
4
5
Shopping advantages . Culture . Relaxation . Business potential . Sport
General Profile
Norwegians enjoy tra-velling to countries with warmer climates
and developed services for travellers in search of the sun. This is particularly evident in the summer season as the ave-rage temperatures in Norway are lower than their European counterparts in more southern parts of the continent.
The strength of the Norwegian
krone is also an influencing factor as it provides Norwe-gians with increased spending power and makes travelling abroad a favourable deci-sion. There is also an increase in demand for luxury services including exclusive accommo-dation and spa facilities.
Competition among low-cost airlines has lowered the cost of travel for Norwegians. 70% of all outbound tips in 2012 were made by air. In 2012, Norwe-gians travelled abroad an ave-rage of twice a year. However it is important to note the many
citizens living on the border of Sweden make several trips a year and in 2012 trips to Swe-den accounted for 36% of all outbound trips. Neighbouring countries Sweden, Denmark and Finland offer lower prices than those found in Norway.
These tourists are looking for luxury, unique experiences and culture when travelling. Package tours and city breaks are especially popular. They are becoming more and more demanding and will increa-singly look for unique travel experiences. Norwegians are
wealthy and purchasing power is very high. They are very pa-triotic and often choose local products. However, they love European luxury expertise and they are receptive of informa-tion about EU goods and the advantages of shopping there.
Environmental issues are im-portant for Norwegian consu-mers. These consumers are especially interested in new products and are willing to pay for quality. Norwegians are not price sensitive and are wil-ling to spend more, especially when buying durable goods.
TRAVELLER PROFILE
Norway
NO
RW
AY
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TRAVELLER Profile
Thailand
Affluent families travel to Europe at least once a year.
Preferred time to shop in Europe is April during the holidays of Songkran festival.
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50
Thai tourists are middle-
aged. Statistics indica-
ted that 50.7% were
female and 49.3% were
male. The majority of
outbound tourists were
between 20-49 years
of age and half of them
were married.
Age Purpose of visit
Expanding classes
Affluent families travel internationally at least once a year and plan
their trips in order to coincide with either leave from work or scho-
ol’s summer vacation. The most popular time for travelling abroad
is during April due to three days off for Songkarn Festival (Thai New
Year). Leisure departures accounted for 55% of outbound trips in
Thailand in 2012. Single business departure travellers seem to be on
a management level heading for annual meetings in head offices of
international companies.
The largest demographic group of tourists was product and service
workers, sales, government officials (30.2%) and about 26.0% were
business owners and business employees. 47.0% of the respondents
held bachelor degrees and 26.5% were doctorate awarded. Most
of the Thai outbound tourists claimed to be from Bangkok (45.3%).
1 UNITED KINGDOM Country analysis p.5
GERMANY Country analysis p.21
FRANCE Country analysis p.9
ITALY Country analysis p.13
SWITZERLAND
Top 5 destination in Europe
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
2
3
4
5
Shopping . Culture . Relaxation . Architectural sites . Theme parks .Business conferences and exhibitions
General Profile
Thais love to travel either domestically or abroad, but in particular in Euro-
pean countries where they are very aware of and influenced by the desire to experience Euro-pean lifestyles and landscapes, to enrich themselves intellec-tually, increase their knowledge and desire to try something new. The most influential motivating factor is therefore the desire to discover new places but also
to pay particular attention to security when travelling abroad. Interested by a favourable ex-change rates, also play a signi-ficant part in making European countries attractive.
The majority are most concer-ned with the high cost associa-ted with travelling and poten-tial language problems. Almost 85% of Thai travellers preferred to stay in 3/4 star accommoda-tion and planned to stay 1 to 3 weeks. The Thai culture is one of a very close family, so they feel more comfortable travel-ling within a group of families
together; couples are growing in popularity as in travelling with someone of the same sex. It’s very unusual to see mixed sexes travelling together due to the Thai culture. The majority of Thai are followers of Thera Vada Buddhism.
Most fashion buyers are heavily influenced by Korean culture meanwhile they are no parti-cular fashion rules in Thailand regarding what to wear. Thai people choose their own styles and are influenced by interna-tional fashion magazines. Thai female love jewellery, especially
gold and diamonds. Although wearing a ring is not a Thai tra-dition, many couples spend lot of money on a diamond rings. They really appreciated luxury shopping malls for the reason that shopping is really conside-red as a leisure activity.
Brand names for products such as clothes, bags and acces-sories tend to be the most im-portant factor for middle aged women who work in more pro-fessional jobs, as their image is important to their daily lives. They prefer buying clothes from the original countries.
TRAVELLER PROFILE
Thailand
TH
AIL
AN
D
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PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 51
TRAVELLER Profile
South Korea
Over 65 years old and retired are becoming a strong group.
Young and savy single travellers are the most important segment.
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52
There are two important
segments: (a) young
single travellers, looking
to explore the world –
experiencing unique
places and expanding
their knowledge; (b)
middle aged couples
with children at home
– travelling to explore a
different lifestyle for their
family.
Age Purpose of visit
Expanding classes
Leisure departures are stronger than business departures. Outbound
travel is becoming common is South Korea as the country has a posi-
tive economic index.
Group departures showed a downward trend in the last years, which
can partially be attributed to increased access to travel information
available through internet.
The most important population shift occurring is a large increase in
the number of those over 65 years, the senior travellers. Long-run
projections suggest that South Korea could have one of the oldest
populations of any country in the world by 2050. Luxury travel is
growing in the South Korean market, especially in the older age
demographic.
1 GERMANY Country analysis p.21
FRANCE Country analysis p.9
UNITED KINGDOM Country analysis p.5
SWITZERLAND
ITALY Country analysis p.13
Top 5 destination in Europe
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
2
3
4
5
Shopping . Culture . Gastronomy . Art . Historical sites . cultural heritage . inoovations . health . Business
General Profile
Visiting Europe is a must see educa-tional experience,
focusing on history and culture. Experience of Eu-ropean countries carries a great deal of personal sta-tus which is is very impor-tant to Koreans.
Resulting from this social interest, luxury goods were real status symbols for Ko-
reans, members of the up-per class seek to distinguish themselves from the lower classes by buying expen-sive, creative and innova-tive goods.
Koreans are also very sophisticated in terms of trends. They appreciate clear and convincing brand message and are very conscious of the quality.
Affluent South Korean consumers purchasing high-end brands and cele-brities certainly influence
South Korean fashion trends and there is a great interest in what the leading stars are wearing, particu-larly K-pop idols who main-ly wear the latest collections of the international fashion brands.
When they travel abroad, they particularly aspire to experience a safe, secure, relaxing clean and heal-thy environment. They also wish to explore beau-tiful landscapes, try local specialities, and aspire to practice a real European
lifestyle experience.
As a consequence, they tend to return at a later date and want to discover regional provinces. Resorts, spas, historical attractions and delicious food are the other reasons why most Korean travellers love Euro-pean destinations.
SO
UT
H K
OR
EA
TRAVELLER PROFILE
South Korea
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PREMIER TAX FREEW O R L DW I D E TA X F R E E S H O P P I N G 53
International Holidays and Events Calendar 2014
South KoreaJANUARY
1 New Year’s Day ALL
7 Orthodox Christmas Day RUS
7 Coptic Christmas Day EGY
13 Coming of Age Day JAP
13 Milad un Nabi (Prophet Mohamed’s Birthday) KUW . UAE
14 Milad un Nabi (Prophet Mohamed’s Birthday)
EGY . SAU . MAL NIG . IND
14 Pongal IND
14 Makar Sankranti IND
20 Martin Luther King Day USA
25 Revolution Day EGY
26 Republic Day IND
26 Australia Day AUS
30.5 Spring Festival Golden Week Holiday CHN
31 Chinese New Year CHN
31.3 Chinese Lunar New Year’s Day Festival HK . THA . MAL
FEBRUARY
1 Federal Territory Day MAL
4 Vasant Panchami IND
11 National Foundati on Day JPN
14 Valentine’s Day UK . USA
17 President’s Day USA
23 Defender of the Fatherland Day RUS
25 Kuwait National Day KUW
26 Kuwait Liberation Day KUW
27 Maha Shivaratri IND
MARCH
1.5 Carnival BRA
4 Carnival/Shrove Tuesday BRA
8 International Women’s Day RUS . CHN . NIG
16 Holi IND
21 Spring Equinox JPN
31 Ugadi IND
APRIL
5 Qing Ming Jie CHN
5 Ching Ming Festival HK
6 Chakri Day THA
13 Mahavir Jayanti IND
13.15 Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) THA
17 Maundy Thursday NOR
18 Good FridayHK . USA . NIG . AUSUK . BRA . NOR . IND
19 Holy Saturday HK
20 Easter SundayUSA . NIG . AUS . UKBRA . NOR . IND
20 Coptic Easter EGY
21 Easter MondayHK . USA . NIG . AUSUK . BRA . NOR . IND
21 Sham El- Nessim (Spring Festival) EGY
APRIL
21 Tiradentes Day BRA
25 Sinai Liberation Day EGY
25 Anzac Day AUS
29 Shõwa Day JPN
MAY
1 Workers’ Day NIG
1 Spring and Labour Day RUS
1 Official Holiday NOR
1 Labour Day/ May DayCHN . BRA . HKMAL . EGY
3 Constitution Memorial Day JPN
4 Greenery Day JPN
5 Children’s Day JPN
5 Early May Bank Holiday UK
5 Coronation Day THA
6 Buddha’s Birthday HK
8 Day of Liberation NOR
9 Victory Day RUS
14 Buddha Purnima/ Vesak IND
17 Constitution Day NOR
26 Memorial Day USA
26 Spring Bank Holiday UK
27 Lailat Al Miraj (The Prophet’s Ascension) KUW . UAE
29 Ascension Day NOR
29 Democracy Day NIG
JUNE
2 Dragon Boat Festival CHN . HK
7 The Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Birthday MAL
8 Whit Sunday NOR
9 Whit Monday NOR
12 Russia Day RUS
19 Corpus Christi BRA
28 Start of RamadanSAU . EGY . NIG . KUW UAE . QAT . IND
JULY
1 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day HK
4 Independence Day USA
21 Sea Day JPN
23 Revolution Day EGY
28.30 Eid- al- Fitr (End of Ramadan)SAU . EGY . NIG . KUW UAE . QAT . IND
29.30 Hari Raya Puasa Day MAL
AUGUST
12 The Queen’s Birthday THA
15 Independence Day IND
25 Summer Bank Holiday UK
29 Ganesh Chaturthi IND
31 National Day MAL
SEPTEMBER
1 Labour Day USA
7 Independence Day BRA
8 Mid-Autumn Festival CHN
9 Day After Mid-Autumn Festival HK
15 Respect for the Aged Day JPN
16 Malaysia Day MAL
23 Autumn Equinox JPN
23 National Day SAU
OCTOBER
1 National Day of the People’s Republic of China HK
1 National Day CHN
1 Independence Day NIG
2 Chung Yeung Festival HK
2.7 National Day Golden Week Holiday CHN
2 Mahatma Gandhi Birthday IND
3 The Day of Arafat EGY
3 Dussehra (Maha Navami) IND
4.6 Eid al- Adha (Feast of Sacrifice)EGY . KUW . UAE SAU . QAT . IND
5 Id el Kabir NIG
5 Hari Raya Haji MAL
6 Armed Forces Day EGY
12 Our Lady Aparecida BRA
13 Columbus Day USA
13 Sports Day JPN
23 Chulalongkorn Day THA
23 Diwali / Deepavali IND
25 Al Hijra/ Muharram (Islamic New Year)
EGY . KUW . UAE SAU . MAL . IND
NOVEMBER
2 All Souls Day BRA
3 Culture Day JPN
4 Unity Day RUS
6 Guru Nanak Birthday IND
11 Veterans Day USA
15 Republic Proclamation Day BRA
23 Labor Thanksgiving Day JPN
27 Thanksgiving Day USA
DECEMBER
2 National Day UAE
5 The King’s Birthday THA
10 Constitution Day THA
18 Independence / National Day QAT
23 Emperor’s Birthday JPN
25 Christmas Day ALL
26 Boxing Day ALL
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2013 © Fintrax Group - All rights reserved
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