Chinese tourists, the second largest group of travelers to visit Singapore, are now among the top five groups of spenders.

 

According to a report released Thursday by Global Refund Singapore, a leading Central Refund Agency for Goods and Services Tax (GST) to tourists, Chinese tourists' total shopping expenditure, between January and October this year, was a significant increase of 20 percent over the same period of last year.

 

This placed them alongside the Australians, Indians, Indonesians and Japanese in terms of having the highest total expenditure on shopping.

 

The Global Refund estimated this trend is expected to continue further as Singapore gets ready to be the first country in the world to receive its millionth visitors from China by the end of this year.

 

Shopping was the main attraction for more than 20 percent of the Chinese visitors to Singapore, and this made up almost 60 percent of their total expenditure, according to Global Refund.

 

Almost half of the 800,000 Chinese tourists' expenditure between January and September this year went towards the purchase of watches and jewelry while fashion and clothing took second place in terms of favorite product categories.

 

"More than 35 percent of the Chinese visitors to Singapore are aged between 26 and 35, the age group that also is presumably not just keen on keeping up with the latest trends and products but is financially able to do so," said Rodney Teo, managing director of the Global Refund.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2006)