Chinese shoppers take lead in spending

Chinese globe-trotters continue to be the highest spenders on shopping and accounted for 27 percent of the tax refund claims made with Global Blue, the biggest operator of tax-refund points, last year, said a report on Tuesday.

"We have found that China is once again the most numerous and highest spending shopping nation, and if the last decade is anything to go by, the amount spent will continue to increase, albeit at a slower rate than recent years," said David Baxby, CEO of Global Blue.

Total spending by Chinese tourists increased 20 percent last year after tripling between 2009 and 2012. The figures are based on tax-free shopping transactions refunded by Global Blue.

The number of Chinese outbound trips, excluding Hong Kong and Macao, will reach 60 million this year, from 53 million in 2013, and swell to 77 million by 2016, according to Global Blue estimates.

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