According to Global Blue, tourist spending in Lebanon decreased by a yearly 12% in Q1 2016, compared to Q1 2015. This contraction is mainly attributed to the relatively lower spending by GCC nationals in the first three months of 2016. Looking at the number of tourists in January and February together, the number of Saudi and UAE visitors fell by 21.7% and 4.4%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2015.
The largest bulk of tourist spending is accounted for by UAE visitors with a share of 15% in the total, followed by 14% for the nationals of Saudi Arabia, 7% for Egypt, 6% for Kuwait tourists and 5% for Syria.
Tourist spending by Saudi Arabian visitors decreased by 23% in Q1 2016 compared to last year while spending by UAE tourists collapsed by 10% over the same period. Tourist spending from Kuwait, Egypt and Iraq fell by yearly 16%, 12% and 27%, respectively. However, spending from France, Jordan and Syrian nationals rose by 3%, 6% and 11%, respectively.
In Q1 2016, fashion and clothing was the category that captured most of the tourist spending with a share of 70% in the total followed by 17% for watches and jewelry. Spending on fashion and clothing decreased 13% by March 2016 while spending on watches and jewelry dipped 3% over the same period.
The capital Beirut is where 79% of tourist expenditures took place while 15% were disbursed in Metn (Mount Lebanon). In Beirut, tourist spending decreased by 15% while it inched up by 13% in Metn.
On a different note, the number of refund transactions fell 9% (y-o-y) by March 2016. Transactions carried out by Saudi Arabian, Kuwaiti and Iraqi nationals, the biggest holders of refund transactions, decreased by 24%, 19% and 13%, respectively.
Yearly Evolution of the Number of Refund Transactions in Q1 2016
Source: Gobal Blue Tourist Spending Report