Wealthy Chinese and Russians flock to Germany to spend

German customs officials the luxury goods have seen far more through their checkpoints this year than they ever be able to afford themselves. Take for example the Russian traveler who bought three Patek Philippe watches, with a value of over € 1.5 million ($ 2 million). Or another Russian, who showed a penchant for watches at a relatively modest Lange & Sohne, each worth only € 50,000. However, the man had bought no less than 18 of these replica watches. They were not all for himself, the man explained: "These are my friends, I'm going to celebrate my 50th birthday."

Likewise, it is not uncommon for a large family to bring Arab customs by buying Louis Vuitton handbags and fashion Hermès value of € 100,000.

All of these tourists come to the airport customs officials for the same thing: a stamp, they save a lot of money. The travelers from third countries can claim a refund of VAT on items they buy paid, usually 19 percent of the purchase price. There are days when Customs officers are unlikely to be able to manage the influx of tourists, heavily laden. Often form long queues at the counters inches shortly before departure for flights Moscow, Beijing and Dubai. The same applies to incoming flights when arriving passengers must declare cash amounts over € 10,000. "Statements of cash have increased dramatically," says Christine Strauss at the customs office of Frankfurt Airport.

'Prestige conscious'

Luxury goods retailers in Germany are obviously pleased with the development. The New Wall, a shopping street in Hamburg, including Hermès and Louis Vuitton stores, Russian, Chinese and Arabic have long been part of everyday life. Many of the shops specifically for their employees serve customers in these countries, and they have staff who speak Mandarin and other languages ​​set. "Many of our customers are from Asia," says Karl Heinz Peters, an expert on watches in the jewelry store jeweler Wempe in Hamburg's city center. These customers from the Far East, he adds, are "prestige-conscious and those who love luxury. More expensive, the better."

In a nearby branch of the watchmaker Omega, other customers have sometimes themselves fully with the store serviced by a dozen or so customers in China. These wealthy travelers to Germany to see a shopper's paradise. "Asians, in particular, can save a lot of money, because of the high taxes on luxury goods back home," Peters said, adding that Germany the added advantage that these valued goods are available at any time and has guaranteed to be authentic.

Standing in front of the store itself Yelena and Viktor is from St. Petersburg. "We use a business trip, like the ability to shop," Victor said, to say that the selection of Hamburg is much greater than that of St. Petersburg, and clothing, in particular, often cost less than half of what will be in Russia. "We save, even if we had to pay customs duties when we return in Russia, "Yelena said.

Jewelry stores across Germany began to do everything to satisfy international customers. At the upper end of the Düsseldorf Königsallee shopping street, jeweler Christel Heilmann shows the necklaces, earrings and swiss replica watches in a shop on two floors. Customers have to ring a bell at the front door to enter, but if you're in one, Russian and Chinese customers can count on to find employees who advise them on their purchases to include in their own language. "Not a day goes by without the customers here in China," said Heilmann, and is considering the publication of a catalog of products is in Chinese. He says he has been the most important concepts of jewelry in China, and some phrases like "thank you" and learned "Goodbye." He is currently looking to hire an employee of the Arabic language.

Holiday purchases

Dresden, meanwhile, is a special effort when it comes to customers in Russia. Picturesquely perched on the banks of the Elbe, Dresden has received more than 15,000 Russian visitors from January to September 2012, three times more than in all of 2007. He spent € 5 million these nine months, twice as much as in 2011.

In fact, in October, two airlines several times a week between Moscow and Dresden with the airport now has a separate counter for passengers from Russia. Here, in the days before Christmas Russian Orthodox Russian guests are greeted by a hostess in dresses with sequins and fur caps, and can also request to be removed from the terminal by a car and taken directly to the stores, they are satisfied with their personal Russian. "The Russians are waiting for us," says Bettina Bunge, Head of Marketing Dresden.

Retailers are not the only ones who benefit from this boom in tourism shopping. A golden age has begun well for companies that specialize in the refund of VAT. When travelers leave Germany, which basically sell these revenues, which were stamped by customs officers as company tax refund as the Blue world leader. Companies pay the tourists that most of the refund, but the company has a share as a "service fee."

Global Blue registered a 51 percent more transactions with Chinese travelers from January to September of this year than the same period in 2011, with the company earn revenues of about € 340 million. Russian buyers came in second with a gain of 44 per cent (€ 251 million), the. By Arab buyers with a small increase of 37 percent, receipts of € 85 million And the preferences of the individual groups are predictable. Chinese tourists are interested in the rule in the first place because, watches and jewelry, while the Russians and the Arabs in general, returning from their trip commercial clothes.