The luxury outlets shopping centers have experienced great growth in recent years, thanks to shopping tourism, led by Chinese and Korean tourists, who come to our country in search of luxury products at a good price.
Both the outlet shopping centers, aimed at a premium and luxury audience, as well as the other design and leisure shopping centers are still booming. The first example we have in Outlet centers owned by Value Retail in Spain: Las Rozas Village in Madrid and La Roca Village in Barcelona, which in recent years have not stopped growing in both visits and sales.
The retail travel has a lot to do with this strong growth, as each year draws a large number of domestic tourists and Asian origin, why the owner of the company outlets, Value Retail, can be satisfied. A few days ago Elena Foguet, director of development and expansion at Value Retail, valued the rise in both centers: «Until August, sales to international customers have grown by 25% in the case of La Roca Village and 12% in the from Las Rozas Village ».
Las Rozas Village in Madrid and La Roca Village in Barcelona are the leading premium outlet centers in Spain
At the same time, Elena Foguet commented that «in La Roca the growth of Chinese tourism is 14%, reaching a weight of 40% on the total transactions to international tourists , while in Las Rozas there is a growth of 2% , up to 44% of the total » . And it is that Chinese tourists are the basis of the large increase in sales of these centers, followed, to a lesser extent, Korean tourists.
We must reflect on the latter: tourism shopping and experiences is booming and needs quality in the management of its centers. In the case of Value Retail, this company manages its centers in a very professional way, knowing what it has in hand and anticipating the events of the retail that is to come. Every time the consumer squeezes more their needs to get good prices on a premium-luxury item, but it is not only a matter of price, now the consumer demands real experiences and rewards the architectural quality where to enjoy a differentiating shopping day that provides leisure and entertainment. quality.
Luxury outlets in Spain. Chinese and Korean tourists are one of the main customers of the Spanish premium outlets
Together with Chinese tourism, tourism from Korea is becoming increasingly important, with growth in Barcelona rising to 102%, and where they already account for a 15% share of the total. In the center of Las Rozas Village, Korean tourists grew up to 49% and already account for a 5% market share of sales to international tourists.
Vale Retail’s management duties are outstanding in both cases, as they reward these two cities with quality tourism and long travel. Value Retail works in this sense: «It is mandatory to work together, between public institutions, companies and associations, being creative and developing a strategic plan to improve the figures and make Madrid a benchmark in the commercial tourism sector» , explain those responsible for Value Retail Foguet points out that, in both cases, it is about “quality tourism and long travel . “
Value Retail works directly in the countries of origin of tourists
This example of success is not a matter of a single year of work. Value Retail does not wait for its customers in its centers, but works well in advance looking for potential customers in the countries of origin , through international institutional concerts and with absolute dedication. Look for potential customers of premium and luxury niche in the countries of origin, something that years later comes successfully.
In both centers a lot of work has been done with the sales staff that speaks Chinese, Korean and some Russian stores. It also highlights the work in stores working with personal assistants, adapting products, colors and sizes in the same way, and signing important agreements with different partners and institutions concerning the Asian market.
The Roca Village of Barcelona is reformed to adapt to the new consumer
Value Retail has a good presence in Europe with a total of nine shopping centers in the main capitals: London, Paris, Florence, Brussels, Munich, Frankfurt and Dublin, as well as two in China . Now, La Roca Village in Barcelona undertakes an important reform with an investment of more than 50 million euros, for the construction of an important underground parking of 28,000 m2 with capacity for 942 seats, and an important revitalization of the commercial and restoration area, planned by the end of 2020.
This important revitalization will also allow the creation of a new tourism office, a bus waiting area, a driver’s rest area, a new Tax Free return office and vehicle charging points, as well as a VIP Lounge area. “The area will maintain the current architectural style and will reproduce a rambla of a Mediterranean population of the beginning of the century, which will lead to a place converted into a stage of initiatives related to culture and art,” they explain in the company.
Analysis of the origin of tourists by countries
60% of the tourism received by La Roca Village Barcelona is international. The main countries that push their position in sales growth are, in order: Chinese, Russian, Korean, Middle Eastern and Latin American. In Las Rozas Village Madrid, the international influence from China stands out. At the same time, we must highlight the strong growth of clients from Latin American countries, especially Mexico and Colombia.
The main duty-free sales areas in Spain are Barcelona, which has a 51% share of the total market, followed by Madrid, with a ratio of 38%. Malaga and the Costa del Sol have 6% and the rest 5% that is distributed throughout the area of influence of the Mediterranean Arc. In this market analysis, Barcelona’s leadership as an area of international tourism sales growth that seeks luxury and quality is relevant. Madrid advances strongly in its clear objective of attracting higher quality tourism, achieving that the average expenditure per visitor is positioned with a quota of 56%, well above the national average. In Madrid the international tourist disburses 270 euros a day, compared to 173 euros that are registered on average in Spain.
According to the report prepared by the Center for Research, Dissemination and Innovation in Tourism of the Ostelea School of Studies, Spain has experienced an 18% growth in tax-free sales last year, standing above the European average, which is in a share of 11%.
Disclosure: The media is not responsible for the opinions expressed in the article. The text has been written freely expressing own ideas, without receiving any compensation for it. The author has no business relationship with any of the companies whose actions are mentioned in this article.
* Main photo: @BCNmoltmes Twitter