Chinese tax free spending slows in first quarter, reports Global Blue

Published: 20/04/16

Source: ©The Moodie Davitt Report

By Dermot Davitt

CHINA. Tax free shopping spend among Chinese travellers fell by -24% year-on-year in March, according to tax refund specialist Global Blue in its Globe Shopper Report: China Edition. This follows two months of slower growth in January (+11%) and February (+5%) compared to the same period a year earlier.

The news emerged ahead of China's Labour Day public holiday, and combines data from over 27 million tax free shopping transactions with the opinions of 5,000 regular Chinese travellers about their travel and spending plans for 2016.

The Q1 figures compare with an overall increase of +58% in Chinese tax free shopping spend during 2015. The decline, said Global Blue, comes against the backdrop of a number of factors including:

• Schengen biometric visa demands – the ease of obtaining a visa was an important consideration for 22% of regular Chinese travellers when choosing a holiday destination;• European terrorist attacks – a safe and secure destination wa s cited by 56% of respondents as an important destination factor;• Tough comparison against 2015 – March 2015 saw stellar growth of +122% year-on-year, partly due to the Chinese New Year holiday falling later last year.

The impact of the fluctuation of the Chinese Yuan on tax free shopping sales is likely to be minimal during Q1 2016 as the Yuan weakened by just -3% against the Euro during this period, noted Global Blue. However, the research indicated that almost half of those surveyed would reconsider their destination (46%) or reduce their shopping budget (47%) due to a weakened Yuan, and the rate most likely to prompt a change in behaviour was CNY1/€0.130 or lower, below the current rate of CNY1/€0.137.

Global Blue said: "Despite recent negative growth, Chinese shoppers remain the largest tax free shopping market, accounting for a third of global sales. Shopping remains a hugely important part of the holiday experience for regular Chinese travellers, as 81% of those planning international travel in 2016 will shop during their trip. The average shopping budget will be €3,544 (CNY25,902) per trip to Europe and €2,517 (CNY18,398) per trip to Asia.

While there is "low visibility� �� around the performance of the luxury sector in 2016, research findings indicate outbound trips by regular Chinese travellers will be highest in May and October, representing opportunities for international retailers.

May 2016 is expected to be the most popular month for travel to Europe, Japan and South Korea, while October 2016 will be popular for visits to other Asia-Pacific destinations, such as Australia and Singapore. These two key months coincide with major Chinese holidays: Labour Day (1-4 May) and Golden Week (1-7 October).

Asia is set to be the primary recipient of Chinese visitors throughout the year, with almost three quarters (73%) of those planning a holiday in 2016 intending to travel within the region. South Korea is predicted to become the most visited destination with over a quarter (26%) of regular Chinese travellers planning a trip this year, while Japan follows with 23%.

When it comes to Chinese tax free shopping spend within Asia, Japan was the region's strongest performer during Q1, showing +50% growth. During this period Chinese shoppers accounted for 54% of APAC's tax free shopping sales. The number of Chinese transactions in Asia also increased +32% during Q1 2016, indicating that visitor numbers are up.

Despite the challenges associated with the new Schengen biometric visa requirements and recent terror attacks, 41% of regular Chinese travellers planning a holiday in 2016 intend to visit Europe. France (16%) is the most popular European destination followed by Germany (8%), Italy (6%) and the UK (6%).

Value and convenienceWhen asked what makes a good shopping destination, 35% of regular Chinese travellers who shop abroad want a good selection of shopping malls or retail parks, while a third (33%) look for a destination with famous international brand stores. For 31%, the ability to buy products at a better price than they can in China is an important consideration.

The research also revealed the top five services that should be offered by retailers looking to attract Chinese Globe Shoppers:

1. Tax Free Shopping (65%)2. Ability to pay with China Union Pay (55%)3. Ability to pay in my home currency (46%)4. Staff who speak my language (39%)5. Wi-Fi in-store (26%)

Travel, shopping and fashion websites (43%) and recommendations from friends and family (43%) are the main research points for international shopping. For many, social media also plays a key role, either through the brand's own site (38%) or via inspiration from friends' pages (36%).

Source: Chinese tax free spending slows in first quarter, reports Global Blue