Brazilians’ spending in France surged last year and in the first quarter of 2011 but the Russians remain the second biggest tourist spenders after the Chinese, according to a study published on recently.
Overall, tourist spending in France rose 35 percent in 2010 to 3 billion euros ($4.43 billion), with the Chinese alone spending 650 million, up 60 percent against 2009, a study by the tourist value added tax refund services provider Global Blue said.
The figures are based on tourists’ requests for value added tax refunds which can be made for any purchase above 175 euros.
Russians returned to French shops after shying them in 2009, lifting their spending by 30 percent in 2010 to 250 million euros, the study said.
The surge in tourist shopping in France benefits big European luxury goods makers such as LVMH , PPR , Richemont and Burberry .
“The engine of growth remains China but the new (major growth) element is Brazil, whose sales remain modest compared to those made by other countries,” Eric Noyal, head of Global Blue in France, told Reuters.
Brazilians’ expenditure in French shops last year rose 56 percent to 100 million euros and were up 53 percent alone in the first three months of the year, marking the biggest increase of all nationalities, Global Blue noted.
via Brazilians spending in France surged in 2010-report – Yahoo! News.
