Westfield gears up for Arab retail tourism boom
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Westfield is preparing for a ‘Middle Eastern gold rush’ as domestic and international tourists hit London’s retail centres to celebrate Eid (17th – 20th July) and beyond, throughout summer.
In 2014, the mall operator reported the average spend of shoppers from the Middle East rose 18% YOY to £714, with the market making up 32% of non-EU spend at Westfield London and 25% of non-EU spend at Westfield’s luxury quarter, The Village.
The Village houses a range of designer brands including Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Mulberry, Gucci and Versace, which benefit from the Ramadan rush. In preparation, a number of retailers will offer exclusive products and experiences during the Eid period, including exclusive designs from The Watch Company, complimentary personalisation at Mulberry and private client services at Jimmy Choo.
To further enhance the shopping experience, Westfield also has a dedicated concierge team offering personal chauffeurs, valet parking, handsfree shopping, personal styling and tax-free shopping. The team also includes Arabic-speaking Village concierges who will be on hand over the Ramadan period. In addition to the services available, Westfield London offers home, hotel and international delivery options to all shoppers.
The Fashion Lounge is a new addition to Westfield London this year; offering a brand new personal styling service in a luxurious suite. The Fashion Lounge has expert stylists with extensive product knowledge to help shoppers discover the latest products from over 700 fashion brands.
Myf Ryan, Westfield Marketing Director UK & Europe, comments: “The Middle East continues to be Westfield London’s largest international tourist market and we expect to see a huge influx of visitors both pre-Ramadan and the month of August as this year, post-Ramadan coincides with the main month the visitors escape the summer heat. We have a much larger offering across brands and service this year which is particularly important to the Middle Eastern shopper.”
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