Tourists from USA spent the highest of all nationalities to the region, at 21% of total spend-per-stay – a full 9 points ahead of the next-highest-spend group, Saudi Arabian nationals.
Overall, spending by tourists to the UAE has risen by 5% in Q1 of 2015, according to Network International, a payment solutions provider which tracks spending. The company processed more than 550 million transactions in 2014, amounting to AED 83 billion in acquiring volume.
The third and fourth biggest spend tourists were by UK (9%), China (4%) and Kuwait (3.4%).
The Rouble decline has had a major impact on spending by Russian tourists in the UAE, which dropped by 52% in Q1, taking Russia out of the top five spenders list for the first time in recent history.
And despite coming in the top five, Chinese tourists’ spending is down by 7% on the same period last year.
Even though they spend the most for their entire visit, Americans spend the lowest average amount on hotel restaurants and meals, with the Chinese still willing to spend the most on hotel restaurants.
Chinese travellers also spend the most on jewellery and watches, with an average spend of AED 13,000. Americans, Russians and Swiss tourists take up the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place spend on these items, respectively.
Russians and the Chinese spend the most on fashion with average transaction sizes three times those of traditional fashion capitals of France or Italy.
GCC states top the charts with their spending on meals: KSA, Kuwait and Qatar, each of whom spend 60% more than an average person per meal (average ticket size of AED 180).
David Mountain, chief commercial officer, Network International, said: “Each of these spending behaviours provides useful insight on market segmentation and positioning to retailers in the UAE. However, when looked at through a geopolitical lens, movements in currency and the affluence of nations, the data presented can have profound effects on different markets.
This provides valuable data for not only merchants and businesses but also for the Government in assessing the continuing appeal of the UAE to international visitors.”
