Chinese spending spree delights retail trade

Chinese tourists have spent 41 per cent more in Austrian shops so far this year than in 2010, according to research.

Travel and shopping information firm Global Blue Austria said yesterday (Weds) holidaymakers from China invested 28 million Euros in stores of the alpine country. Especially expensive watches and jewellery were in great demand, according to the company.

Russians spent most in Austria overall, while their per capita spending at stores slid from 431 Euros to 425 Euros. The average per capita investment of shopping Chinese vacationers jumped by 33 Euros to 465 Euros at the same time.

Global Blue Austria said it saw great potential for more arrivals by Chinese in Austria in the foreseeable future. The enterprise’s estimation comes on the same day of news that the number of overnight stays by Chinese tourists in Vienna shot up by 50 per cent from August 2010 to August 2011.

Hotels recorded 30 per cent more stays by Russians. The number of overnight stays by people from Switzerland (plus 21 per cent) improved as well. These figures helped the city’s hotels to a new record. They have never registered more overnight stays for August ever before than in this year’s month when 1.185 million stays took place. Last year’s 10.86 million overnight stays meant a new annual record for the federal capital which is, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the second-most liveable city in the world behind Melbourne in Australia.