Retailers’ tills set to ring to the tune of Middle Eastern shoppers
RETAILERS will receive a welcome boost next week when Middle Eastern shoppers are set to flock to the UK for the annual pre-Ramadan rush, according to Global Blue.
The tax-free shopping services firm is forecasting a similar surge in shoppers to last year, when spending from Middle Eastern nations soared 43 per cent year-on-year over the month of June.
The period around Ramadan, which will take place between 18 June and 17 July this year, is a key time for luxury hotels and retailers boosted by the influx from Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait – four of the top five spending nations in the UK.
Saudi Arabia is expected to lead growth, followed by the Qataris, who are the top spenders splashing out an average £1,432 per transaction last year – up 53 per cent on the same month in 2013.