Tax-free spending grows

Saudi Arabians still top spenders according to VAT refund firm Global Blue

Tourist spending saw a yearly growth of ten percent in 2011 compared to the previous year, according to Global Blue’s Insights into Tourist Spending end-year report.
According to the report, which only counts purchases for which the VAT had been claimed, tourists from Saudi Arabia were the biggest spenders in Lebanon during the year, accounting for 20 percent of total tourist spending. Visitors from the UAE were the second largest spenders (11 percent), followed by Kuwaitis (ten percent), Syrians (eight percent), and Egyptians (six percent).
Spending by tourists from Egypt was down by 12 percent compared to 2010. Spending by visitors from Jordan and from Saudi Arabia also fell by two and three percent respectively.
Visitors from the UAE in 2011 spent 20 percent more than they did in the previous year. Spending by Syrians grew by eight percent from 2010, while spending by Kuwaiti and Qatari visitors was up by four and two percent respectively. The overall spending by visitors from all other countries was up by ten percent, with spending by French tourists growing by ten percent.
The report showed that clothing items acquired the lion’s share of tourists’ spending throughout 2011 (74 percent). Spending on clothing grew by 15 percent from 2010.
Watches acquired nine percent of total tourist spending this year. In 2011 tourists spent eight percent less on watches than they did during the previous year.
In terms of the area breakdown, Beirut acquired 84 percent of total spending in 2011, with its share rising by 11 percent year-on-year. Spending in the area of Metn accounted for 12 percent of total spending, and rose by three percent y-o-y. The areas of Keserwan and Baabda had insignificant shares of tourist spending in 2011, as the areas saw an annual drop of ten and six percent respectively.