Middle East travellers spending most in UK

Holidaymakers and business men from the Middle East are spending the most in the UK’s shops, a new report has found. Transaction company Global Blue has found those from the Middle East made up 26% of spend by international visitors between January and July this year. Spend from those in the region was up 17% year-on-year with those from Qatar and Kuwait seeing the largest increase. The average spend per transaction for Qaratis came in at GBP1, 423. A further increase is expected in the August figures due to Ramadan falling early this year, with pre-Ramadan sales in June up 27% year-on-year. “Much of the focus this year has been around the increase in Chinese visitors to the UK but it’s the Middle Eastern shoppers who we are seeing top the leader tables in terms of spend. With their taste for luxury goods, these shoppers come to the UK for the high-end designer brands and the continued growth is a testament to their huge spending power,” said Gordon Clark, UK country manager for Global Blue. “Many stores have taken steps to capitalise on this spending power by taking measures to attract and facilitate shoppers from the Middle East offering late store opening hours and female Arabic speaking staff all help to drive spend in the UK,” he added. Source: Travel Daily