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| Mandarin at Boots, dumplings at the Grosvenor – London prepares for Chinese influx | Mandarin at Boots, dumplings at the Grosvenor – London prepares for Chinese influx |
| (21 days later) | |
| Chinese characters shout out "We're tax free!" from tills, staff with language tags dangling from their necks greet Chinese tourists chirpily in Mandarin and cashiers use both hands to hand credit cards back to them. It seems the race is on to cash in on the Olympic frenzy, with retailers targeting Chinese tourists in particular. | Chinese characters shout out "We're tax free!" from tills, staff with language tags dangling from their necks greet Chinese tourists chirpily in Mandarin and cashiers use both hands to hand credit cards back to them. It seems the race is on to cash in on the Olympic frenzy, with retailers targeting Chinese tourists in particular. |
| John Lewis started accepting China's most popular bank card, China Union Pay (CUP), at its Oxford Street and Stratford City stores in June. Store guides also come in Mandarin now. The department store recently took on the task of educating its staff on "appropriate etiquette" when serving Chinese customers: avoid eye contact and return credit cards with two hands. When in doubt, bow. | John Lewis started accepting China's most popular bank card, China Union Pay (CUP), at its Oxford Street and Stratford City stores in June. Store guides also come in Mandarin now. The department store recently took on the task of educating its staff on "appropriate etiquette" when serving Chinese customers: avoid eye contact and return credit cards with two hands. When in doubt, bow. |
| Chinese customers, apparently, are also more interested in the origin of products than their UK counterparts, according to a John Lewis spokesman. (Fair enough, I suppose. With made-in-China products swamping the market, I wouldn't want to make the boo-boo of bringing my own country's products home.) Chinese tourists' transactions are up 28% year-on-year at the flagship store. | Chinese customers, apparently, are also more interested in the origin of products than their UK counterparts, according to a John Lewis spokesman. (Fair enough, I suppose. With made-in-China products swamping the market, I wouldn't want to make the boo-boo of bringing my own country's products home.) Chinese tourists' transactions are up 28% year-on-year at the flagship store. |
| At Boots on Regent Street, Mandarin tax-free signs were put up at tills a few days ago; Gap on Oxford Street hired a Mandarin-speaking salesman last week; and three of Next's London stores started accepting payment by CUP recently to accommodate Chinese tourists here for the Olympics. | At Boots on Regent Street, Mandarin tax-free signs were put up at tills a few days ago; Gap on Oxford Street hired a Mandarin-speaking salesman last week; and three of Next's London stores started accepting payment by CUP recently to accommodate Chinese tourists here for the Olympics. |
| The Grosvenor, a four-star hotel on Buckingham Palace Road, now serves its guests Chinese breakfast items such as pickled vegetables, century eggs and youtiao (fried dough sticks), as well as an assortment of buns and dumplings. | The Grosvenor, a four-star hotel on Buckingham Palace Road, now serves its guests Chinese breakfast items such as pickled vegetables, century eggs and youtiao (fried dough sticks), as well as an assortment of buns and dumplings. |
| The move to capture the lucrative Chinese tourism market is not new. High-end stores such as Selfridges and Harrods started accepting CUP credit cards a couple of years ago and now have Mandarin-speaking staff. | The move to capture the lucrative Chinese tourism market is not new. High-end stores such as Selfridges and Harrods started accepting CUP credit cards a couple of years ago and now have Mandarin-speaking staff. |
| But the Olympics seems to have given the trend wings. | But the Olympics seems to have given the trend wings. |
| It may well be worth it. In the financial year to November 2011, Chinese shoppers spent $2.15tn (£1.37tn) on tax-free products, a 56% increase year-on-year, according to the tax refund services provider Global Blue. VisitBritain recorded a near-doubling of the spend per Chinese tourist in 2011. | It may well be worth it. In the financial year to November 2011, Chinese shoppers spent $2.15tn (£1.37tn) on tax-free products, a 56% increase year-on-year, according to the tax refund services provider Global Blue. VisitBritain recorded a near-doubling of the spend per Chinese tourist in 2011. |
| The number of flights booked to London by Chinese tourists, according to Chinese media monitoring online travel sites, rose by 158% in June compared with the previous month. | The number of flights booked to London by Chinese tourists, according to Chinese media monitoring online travel sites, rose by 158% in June compared with the previous month. |
| Do you think that these efforts by businesses will open the wallets of Chinese tourists? When on holiday would you be more likely to shop at a store that was more attuned to your cultural preferences? | Do you think that these efforts by businesses will open the wallets of Chinese tourists? When on holiday would you be more likely to shop at a store that was more attuned to your cultural preferences? |
| Top credit cards | Top credit cards |
| Barclaycard | Barclaycard |
| Barclaycard | |
| NatWest | NatWest |
| Powered by MoneySupermarket for the Guardian | Powered by MoneySupermarket for the Guardian |