Tax Free shopping specialist Global Blue is forecasting a 16% surge in Middle Eastern shoppers visiting the UK in the summer months of July to September.

Last year, around 37.8 million people from Gulf Cooperation Council markets visited the UK. The Global Blue prediction comes when the GCC markets are looking to capitalise on the weak pound to purchase leading luxury British brands from their flagship stores.

The Middle East is the UK’s second-most valuable market, with Gulf Countries’ citizens accounting for more than a quarter of the total tax free shopping spend. Qatar holds 8% of the total share, followed by the UAE and Kuwait (7%) and Saudi Arabia (6%).

According to Global Blue, visitors will look to spend over £1,000 ($1,248) on average during their time in the UK this summer, up 4% from 2018. Additionally, out of the six GCC countries, Saudi Arabia has grown the fastest with the number of transactions per visit up 28%.

BRITISH BRAND PURCHASES

Further insight reveals almost two in five visitors (38%) buy from British brands such as Burberry, Mulberry and department stores such as Harrods and Selfridges. Among the purchases, 50% are fashion, 17% are leathergoods, 5% shoes and 4% jewellery items.

This year, Ramadan fell two weeks earlier (5 May to 4 June), extending the post-Ramadan shopping period over the summer months. Global Blue has, therefore, recognised the increased drive among UK retailers to target GCC customers as a result. The company says brands are pulling out all the stops to ensure they attract high spending shoppers from the Middle East.

Global Blue says retail flagships such as Harrods, Selfridges and Fenwick’s are continuing to offering exclusive deals, rewards and premium services targeting GCC visitors to guarantee spend.

Derrick Hardman, Managing Director, Global Blue UK & Ireland commented: “We have seen a huge increase in visitors from the Middle East this year and we expect to see the trend remain strong this summer as visitors look to make the most of the weak pound ahead of Brexit this October.”