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Shopping Tourism is becoming an increasingly relevant component of the tourism value chain. Shopping has converted into a determinant factor affecting destination choice, an important component of the overall travel experience and, in some cases the prime travel motivation. Destinations have thus an immense opportunity to leverage this new market trend by developing authentic and unique shopping experiences that add value to their touristic offer while reinforcing, and even, defining their tourism brand and positioning.

More importantly, shopping is one of the major categories of tourists’ expenditure, representing a significant source of income for national economies both directly and through the many linkages to other sectors in the economy. 

  2nd UNWTO Conference on Shopping Tourism   1st UNWTO Conference on Shopping Tourism

Affiliate Members Global Report, Volume 8 – Global Report on Shopping Tourism

UNWTO’s Global Report on Shopping Tourism offers a series of practical guidelines and principles for all destinations interested in developing shopping tourism. The report includes a wide range of case studies by UNWTO Affiliate Members and other tourism stakeholders from around the world.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

• Shopping Tourism Product Development Project in León, Guanajuato, Mexico The pilot Shopping Tourism Product Development Project in León is carried out with support from the Ministry of Tourism of the State of Guanajuato. The initiative aims to maximize the benefits of tourist activity in the city of León and promote it as a shopping destination, both within Mexico and around the world. The project focuses on several key areas, namely: attracting visitors, the creation of tourism products, the efficient use of tourism attractions and the quality of infrastructure. Alongside these, attention is also given to community involvement in tourism as well as local socio-economic wellbeing and the promotion of employment. With this project and the support of the UNWTO, León aims to position itself as a destination for value-added shopping tourism through innovative experiences in shopping tourism. At the same time, it aims to promote the integration of companies and individuals from different areas in the value chain of tourism and commerce in León and its surroundings (artisans, agriculture, leather, footwear, design, automotive, among others), while stimulating the creation of employment and new opportunities based on the promotion of high value-added shopping tourism and local development.  
• Madrid Precious Time The pilot project was conducted in the city of Madrid in 2014 in collaboration with the Madrid City Council and the support of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism of Spain. Major partners included: InnovaTaxfree, Joyerías Suárez, MasterTour Alliance, Microsoft, Meliá, Museo Thyssen, NH Hotels, Roberto Verino, Saborea España, Segittur and the University of Valencia.

Retailers in travel: the power of shopping tourism

• February 26, 2020

The experience economy has driven changes across all economic sectors in recent years, and retail has experienced some of the most radical, yet interesting ones, opening new paths for business by interacting with other industries such as travel. Shopping tourism is showing its power as a business driver and, at the same time, it is pushing a deep transformation of the industry that will guarantee growth and development in the short and long run.

By Otto Ambagtsheer

As experienced retailers, there is a clear trend we are observing worldwide, aligned with the social changes that technology has brought: the increasing demand for unique and personalized experiences–a movement that has been called “the experience economy”. In the midst of it, e-commerce, with its competitive prices and fast delivery, is rewriting the rules of consumption; industries and sectors interact in a competitive race to be original and relevant in a market full of stimulant proposals, and this requires more collaborative initiatives to ensure traditional business models are able to successfully transition to an ultra-connected economy. A good example of these synergies is amalgamation of shopping and tourism, a segment that is growing exponentially around the world.

According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), shopping is among the top deciding factors when travellers choose a destination, showing its relevance beyond that of a mere ancillary service. As 2019 data from UNWTO shows, more than 1.5 billion people traveled around the world in 2019, four percent more than in 2018 despite the travel industry turmoil following the collapse of Thomas Cook and several other low-cost airlines in Europe, and this entity foresees an increase between three and four percent in international tourist arrivals worldwide. Moreover, tourism spending in 2019 has remained strong against a backdrop of global economic slowdown. It continued to grow most notably amongst the world’s top ten spending markets surpassing the previous year’s staggering 1,500,000,000,000 dollars (one trillion five hundred billion dollars).

Range of special activities

These figures paint an interesting picture for travel retail, as the number of travellers grows every year, as does the total spend. Tax-free shopping helps to quantify the dimension of shopping tourism from markets outside Europe, especially when it comes to outlets, as the price factor is particularly appealing. Shopping is of course not confined to airports or malls and has become a key part of the travel experience.

VIA Outlets is in a good position to capitalize on this dynamic and expanding market segment with its eleven outlet centers, which are strategically located at the gateway of many of Europe’s most exciting destinations. Apart from getting the basics of a great shopping experience right–offering a wide range of high-quality brands, an extensive food and beverage offering, leisure areas for children and adults and aesthetics that inspire as well as encourage exploration of the retail offer–VIA Outlets undertakes a range of activities specifically targeted at tourists. For example, we continuously add facilities that purposely cater to tourists’ needs, such as shuttle bus services from and to city centers, as well as added-value services such as tax refund facitlies for guests from overseas and lounges for VIPs.

Shopping, like travel, is all about creating an experience that is unique and unrepeatable from place to place. Real integration of shopping in the travel experience means making retail accessible, locally relevant and convenient. To this end, our vision is to recreate, in an appealing way, each center’s regional architecture, decor, culture and history to differentiate our shopping destinations from our competitors’, and make it available, vivid and present throughout the travel journey–all with the aim of capturing the experience economy. We call this a “beautifully local” experience.

Beyond the mere act of buying

Broadly speaking, shopping tourism is undoubtedly an economic engine that drives direct and indirect employment, revenue and benefits for destinations. The mere concept is a combination of two global industries able to mobilize billions of euros. As we see it, shopping tourism is a transversal segment that interacts with other sectors, products and services, both in travel and retail as well as a number of other industries.

Fashion, just like travel, resonates with consumers’ aspirations and lifestyles, and this is the quintessence of the experience economy. The travel industry has experienced this transformation, from location to experience, long before retail; in fact, travellers’ choices have a deep, relevant, aspirational element, tied to emotions, that shopping also provides. That is why we see shopping tourism as a powerful combination, able to increase revenue for retailers, as well as boost longer stays, higher spending and loyalty ratios for destinations.

Moreover, shopping tourism goes beyond the mere act of buying: it starts at the very moment a traveller picks a certain destination, continues throughout their trip in different contexts, and even evokes that experience once they return home. Interestingly, according to the latest Duty Free World Council (DFWC) KPI Monitor, 75 percent of shoppers plan their purchases prior to their travels, and while the majority–52 percent–of shoppers who plan their purchases do so with a general idea of what they will buy, the remaining 23 percent plan their purchases with a specific product or brand in mind. So, being in the forefront of the traveller’s mind right from the inspiration and planning process is vital for all parties involved in this segment.

A diversification engine

What these figures demonstrate is that to really harness shopping tourism potential, travel and retail should work together. Shopping tourism is the result of the development, growth and evolution of the travel industry and travellers, who are eager to enjoy destinations from a local perspective. It is a global economic driver for both emerging and well-established destinations, that involves and requires the collaboration of players in both the travel and retail industry, as well as other economic sectors and public entities. Working together, we can create a compelling concept that truly reflects what makes a destination unique and appealing to travellers around the world.

Besides becoming one of the key motivators for travellers when choosing a place to visit, shopping tourism is also a strong, sustainable development force for destinations, which is able to contribute to local employment, businesses and the wider economy. It is a diversification engine for both retail or travel. For retail players, travellers revitalize demand and their visits to malls, urban shopping areas and outlets force innovation in products and services to really make a difference in our value proposition, helping to align our shopping experience with the idiosyncrasies of each location and providing a wide range of guest services, adapted to both locals’ and travellers’ needs and expectations.

Boosting the local economy

For destinations, hotels and travel agents, it poses an opportunity to recreate new experiences that are able to drive business and stays, attract alternative and more profitable inbound markets and ensure recurring visitations; but also to reorganize saturated urban destinations and boost the local economy from a long-term perspective. The stronger the shopping destination appeal of a location, region or country, the more visitors will come, and the less the area will be exposed to seasonality.

The most important challenge we face as travel and retail players, is that we have to ensure that travellers and their experiences are at the center of any strategy. Shopping tourism involves a wide range of companies, institutions and public bodies that need to understand each other’s goals, needs and dynamics to really develop shopping tourism to its full potential.

At VIA Outlets, we assumed such a commitment implies working hand-in-hand with the travel industry to develop shopping tourism destinations–as we are currently doing from Mallorca to Gothenburg, from Lisbon to Prague, from Zweibrücken to Landquart–and create industry standards that contribute to achieving this goal. We foster collaborative agreements with hotel companies as well as national and local accommodation associations through our tourism department to leverage natural synergies between travel and retail sectors, right across the travel value chain that have proven successful for all parties. In 2019, we further enhanced our capabilities in this field by hiring dedicated sales representatives in some of our largest non-European customer markets, notably China, the Middle East and Brazil. Our efforts proved successful as we saw a significant increase in tax free sales, amounting to a total increase of 17 percent. The figures were even stronger in especially strong tourist destinations such as Amsterdam and Lisbon, with figures at Batavia Stad Fashion Outlet and Freeport Lisboa Fashion Outlet seeing increases in this metric by 21 and 29 percent respectively.

One thing is certain: shopping is definitively becoming more important in travel spends, a trend that, combined with the outlet sector’s highly commercial force, offers a myriad of opportunities for destinations, investors, retailers, tourists and local guests alike.

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OPINION article

Impact of shopping tourism for the retail trade as a strategy for the local development of cities.

• 1 Econometrics Area, Department of Spanish and International Economy, Econometrics, History and Economic Institutions. University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
• 2 Department of Business Administration. University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain

Introduction

Shopping Tourism is a recent concept that is defined as a contemporary form of tourism carried out by individuals for whom the acquisition of goods, outside their place of residence, is a determining factor in their decision to travel ( WTO, 2014 , p.13).

Shopping tourism is currently one of the main strategic lines of countries to promote sustainable and quality tourism ( Yu and Littrell, 2003 ; Tosun et al., 2007 ; WTO, 2014 , 2017 , 2018 ; The Shopping Quality Tourism Institute, 2015 , 2017 ; Tourspain, 2015 , 2018 ). This tourism is the one that generates wealth and distributes it equitably, is environmentally sustainable and has a positive impact on the environment ( The Shopping Quality Tourism Institute, 2015 , 2017 ; MINCOTUR, 2019b ). It implies an important economic and employment impact for the cities and countries in which it takes place, and favors deseasonalization and diversification ( The Shopping Quality Tourism Institute, 2015 , 2017 ).

The impact that this commercial tourism has on employment and economic growth in the countries is considerable, making it a key strategic industry ( Jansen-Verbeke, 1991 ; Yu and Littrell, 2003 ; Tugcu, 2014 ; Webster and Ivanov, 2014 ; Tourspain, 2015 ; Albayrak et al., 2016 ).

Spain has become one of the most important tourist powers in the world ( Tourspain, 2018 ). In 2017, it was the second country in the world in number of tourists and in income from international tourism with nearly 87,000 million euros ( WTO, 2018 ; MINCOTUR, 2019b ). Then in 2018 the tourism sector closed with a new record of 82.6 million international tourists and a volume of 89,678 million euros ( MINCOTUR, 2019a ).

Given these figures, it is necessary to take advantage of this potential market and bet on the quality and diversification of the offer of tourism products, as a key element of the National and Integral Tourism Plan, and this will be achieved by promoting quality tourism and shopping as an engine of economic and social growth ( Tourspain, 2015 ).

This strategic line of exploiting the relationship between trade and tourism and taking advantage of the existing synergies between the two ( Getz, 1993 ; Ryan et al., 1999 ; Global Blue, 2015 ), can help the city retail sector to adapt to new consumption habits. Also, it can open new horizons and avoid the disappearance of city centers as places of commerce due to the closure of businesses ( Tourspain, 2015 ; MINECO, 2017 ). Additionally, the tourism sector can avoid its main weaknesses such as the typical tourist offer of the sun and beach, the concentration of demand in time and territory, or the strong dependence of certain issuing countries ( Tourspain, 2015 ; MINCOTUR, 2019b ).

This tourism is an increasingly attractive alternative for improving local commercial activity and, at the same time, shopping can be an active potential for the city to differentiate itself as a chosen destination ( Tourspain, 2015 ; The Shopping Quality Tourism Institute, 2017 ; MINCOTUR, 2019b ).

In this sense, there are different specific initiatives to promote cities as shopping tourism destinations, both in the city center and for other areas, most of which are centered on Madrid and Barcelona, since both occupy the second position among the best European cities as shopping destinations ( Travé, 2019 ). In order to establish strategies, destinations must have a high level of knowledge about the socio-economic profile of tourists, their main motivations for traveling and the choice of destination ( Žabkar et al., 2010 ; Choi et al., 2016a ), especially because this knowledge can influence the competitive capacity of tourist destinations as shopping destinations ( Kim et al., 2011 ; Cohen et al., 2014 ).

The aim of this research is to highlight the importance of shopping tourism for cities: (1) need for the commercial and tourism sectors to exploit the interrelationships between the two, (2) socio-economic impact on local trade, (3) identify differentiation strategies for cities as shopping destinations and (4) establish recommendations based on the analysis of key factors for listing a city as a shopping destination.

Shopping Tourism and its Impact on Cities

Shopping as a tourist activity has recently been analyzed. Purchasing tourism has received little attention so there are few publications in this area ( Choi et al., 2016b ).

Shopping is a common and fundamental tourist activity both from the tourist's perspective and for the chosen destination ( Jin et al., 2017 ). It is one of the most important activities for tourists ( Yu and Littrell, 2003 ; Lloyd et al., 2011 ; Albayrak et al., 2016 ). In many cases, shopping is an important factor in the choice of destination ( Moscardo, 2004 ) and in others, it is may be the main reason for traveling ( Timothy, 2005 ; Lehto et al., 2014 ).

Therefore, it is very important to know on what attributes tourists base their decisions ( Dann, 1981 ; 2Žabkar et al., 010 ; Hult et al., 2017 ) and what valuation purchases have on their trips ( Murphy et al., 2000 ; Oh et al., 2004 ; Wong and Wan, 2013 ). Since 2000, researchers have shown an increased interest in examining people's motives for shopping while traveling and how they are influenced by the tourist destination ( Albayrak et al., 2016 ; Choi et al., 2016a ).

From a tourist perspective, Albayrak et al. (2016) and Jin et al. (2017) show most studies that deal with the relationships between sociodemographic characteristics and purchasing attitudes ( Kim and Littrell, 2001 ; Yazdani, 2007 ; Yüksel and Yüksel, 2007 ; Alegre and Cladera, 2012 ), purchasing motivation ( Law and Au, 2000 ; Swanson and Horridge, 2006 ; Yüksel, 2007 ; Kattiyapornpong and Miller, 2012 ); consumer satisfaction ( Heung and Cheng, 2000 ; Reisinger and Turner, 2002 ; Wong and Law, 2003 ; Chang et al., 2006 ; Tosun et al., 2007 ; Murphy et al., 2011a , b ; Wong and Wan, 2013 ; Chang, 2014 ), shopping characteristics ( Choi et al., 2008 ; Han et al., 2015 ), outdoor environment and procurement evaluation ( Christiansen and Snepenger, 2002 ; Yüksel, 2004 , 2013 ).

For cities, shopping can be an important source of income ( Murphy et al., 2011a , b ). Shopping tourism also favors the creation of job opportunities and improves the image of cities as tourist destinations ( Cohen et al., 2014 ; Tugcu, 2014 ; Webster and Ivanov, 2014 ). In this sense, many cities use tourism shopping as a promotional strategy to differentiate themselves from the competition ( Ryan et al., 1999 ; Snepenger et al., 2003 ; Coles, 2004 ; Rabbiosi, 2011 , 2015 ; Hurst and Niehm, 2012 ; Timothy, 2014 ).

It must be kept in mind that in the consumer's choice not only the physical attributes of a product count. For the maximization of the usefulness of the tourist's behavior there are other attributes like visiting places and spaces where to understand the local culture and strengthen social bonds ( Timothy, 2005 ; Saayman and Saayman, 2012 ). These variables are relevant for differentiating cities in terms of their attributes.

Better information on the patterns and factors that condition the behavior of shopping tourists offers opportunities to the cities' tourism industry ( Jansen-Verbeke, 1991 ). On the one hand, it allows for better planning and management of sales and expenses ( Timothy, 2014 ) and on the other hand, it serves as a basis for promoting alternative places of attraction, creation of spaces and brand development of a city ( Kemperman et al., 2009 ; Rabbiosi, 2011 , 2015 ). Thus a new strategic line emerges for areas that can base their attractiveness on shopping tourism ( Murphy et al., 2011b ). They are generally cities or areas with a pleasant environment marked by historical or natural features along tourist routes, in tourist destination areas or near urban centers. However, they differ from urban businesses and shopping districts because they have a specialized retail trade and a distinctive atmosphere ( Getz, 1993 ). These relationships between shopping and tourism are based on the study of literature and some empirical results that relate shopping as a means of tourist attraction ( Jansen-Verbeke, 1991 , 2000 ).

It is important to analyze advantages and disadvantages when talking about sustainable development and quality tourism. Social and environmental costs must be balanced with economic benefits ( Ryan et al., 1999 ; Moscardo and Murphy, 2014 ; The Shopping Quality Tourism Institute, 2017 ). Tourism is a very important sector for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 2030 proposed by the United Nations. The World Tourism Organization links tourism to the 17 objectives of sustainable development ( WTO, 2016 ).

The sustainable development of tourism consists of making optimal use of the environmental resources that are a fundamental element of tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural resources and biological diversity ( WTO, 2014 ). This concept is developed through five strategic axes: collaborative governance, sustainable growth, tourism space, companies and people, product, marketing and tourism intelligence, and competitive transformation ( MINCOTUR, 2019b ).

The competitive transformation of tourism is linked to the concept of Intelligent Tourism Systems (SIT) for the promotion of Intelligent Tourist Destinations ( SEGITTUR, 2015 ) and the concept of Tourism 4.0. Tourism 4.0 is a term that has been mentioned since 2017 to refer to tourism that encourages technological changes in tourism. These changes in the tourism industry range from the digitization of establishments using the Internet to offer a service to everything related to interactions through mobile devices such as maps, GPS, information about shops, restaurants, etc. ( Zupan, 2019 ). Examples of these strategies have been developed in Palma de Mallorca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Badajoz and the island of El Hierro, considered the first smart island in the world. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria stands out with the implementation of the first model to promote shopping tourism in the city through multilingual mobile technology ( SEGITTUR, 2015 ). In this context, different strategic questions arise regarding the socio-economic impact of shopping tourism that influence local and sustainable development ( Jin et al., 2017 ).

Outstanding as local development strategies are “Town Centre Management” focused on downtown management models ( Coca-Stefaniak et al., 2009 ) and the Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) used to revitalize the urban centers of British cities such as Birmingham, Plymouth and for the promotion of Tourist Shopping Villages (TSV) ( Getz, 1993 ; Murphy et al., 2011a , b ). According to the World Tourism Organization, cities as shopping destinations must take into account accessibility, available infrastructure, security, cleanliness, attractive location, destination marketing and promotion, connection with the tourism value chain, research and development, regulation and adequate training and education ( WTO, 2014 ).

All these strategies condition the choice of tourist destination, so a collaboration is necessary between all the businessmen agents (commercial companies, transport, accommodation), tourism promoters and local institutions. In this sense, the joint participation of all agents to position Spain, or certain cities, as a destination for shopping tourism is very important.

Tourism is an increasingly attractive alternative for improving local commercial activity and, at the same time, retail trade can be an active potential for the city to differentiate itself as a chosen destination ( Tourspain, 2015 ). With proper planning, tourism can be a part of the solution to cities' economic problems by helping to avoid closing businesses in cities that accelerate city depopulation problems and cause economic losses for families' economies. For this reason, the concept of tourist purchases ( WTO, 2014 ; Tourspain, 2015 ), gains importance and is defined as an activity in which tourists buy goods during their trip ( Jin et al., 2017 ).

In order for cities to take advantage of the synergies between tourism and trade, it is necessary to analyze the different local development strategies that can be implemented such as: “Town Centre Management” ( Coca-Stefaniak et al., 2009 ), the Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and the “Tourist Shopping Villages” (TSV) ( Getz, 1993 ; Murphy et al., 2011a , b ); and all the variables that cities must have in mind to differentiate themselves as destinations ( WTO, 2014 ; SEGITTUR, 2015 ).

Given all the variables necessary to promote a city as a tourist shopping destination, it is necessary to establish joint strategies with the participation of all local agents, such as traders and their associations, and local institutions to establish strategies to position cities internationally as a tourist shopping destination, relating to the commercial management of retail establishments in Spain and aimed at promoting quality and sustainable shopping tourism, as one of the strategic lines to boost the competitiveness of the sector ( SEGITTUR, 2015 ; Tourspain, 2015 ; MINECO, 2017 ; MINCOTUR, 2019b ).

Author Contributions

AM-R, IP-J, and JS-A contributed conception of the opinion article. AM-R wrote the first draft of the manuscript. IP-J and JS-A performed the state of the art and the conceptual framework. All authors contributed to manuscript revision, read and approved the submitted version.

This work was financed with group grants from the University of Castilla-La Mancha. Co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. Group: Observatory of Innovation in Commercial Distribution (OIDC). And the copy-editión and revision of the translation has been financed with the collaboration of the contract-program of the Faculty of Judicial and Social Sciences of Toledo.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Keywords: tourism and retail, shopping tourism, tourist behavior, differentiation of tourist destinations, local development

Citation: Muro-Rodríguez AI, Pérez-Jiménez IR and Sánchez-Araque JA (2020) Impact of Shopping Tourism for the Retail Trade as a Strategy for the Local Development of Cities. Front. Psychol. 11:67. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00067

Received: 12 November 2019; Accepted: 10 January 2020; Published: 31 January 2020.

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Copyright © 2020 Muro-Rodríguez, Pérez-Jiménez and Sánchez-Araque. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Ana Isabel Muro-Rodríguez, AnaIsabel.Muro@uclm.es

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Shopping Tourism: The Ultimate Guide for Travelers

Are you a shopping enthusiast who enjoys exploring new places and cultures? Then shopping tourism might be the perfect way to indulge in your passions. Shopping tourism combines the excitement of traveling to new destinations with the thrill of shopping for unique items and souvenirs. In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about shopping tourism, including its definition, benefits, popular destinations, and tips to make the most of your trip.

What is Shopping Tourism?

Shopping tourism is a form of tourism where travelers visit a destination with the primary purpose of shopping. It involves exploring local markets, malls, boutiques, and other shopping areas to purchase goods that are unique to the region. Shopping tourism is an excellent way to learn about a new culture and support local businesses while indulging in your passion for shopping.

Benefits of Shopping Tourism

Shopping tourism offers several benefits, including:

Unique shopping experience

Shopping tourism allows you to discover unique products that you wouldn’t find in your hometown. You can explore local markets and shops to buy souvenirs, handicrafts, and other regional products that reflect the culture and traditions of the destination.

Cultural immersion

Shopping tourism is an excellent way to immerse yourself in the local culture. You can interact with locals, learn about their customs and traditions, and discover how they create their products. This can provide you with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the destination.

Supporting local businesses

Shopping tourism can help support local businesses and economies. By purchasing products from local vendors and artisans, you contribute to the local economy and help create jobs for the community.

Popular Shopping Tourism Destinations

Shopping tourism is a popular activity worldwide, with several destinations offering unique shopping experiences. Here are some popular shopping tourism destinations:

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai is known for its extravagant malls and luxurious shopping experiences. From the world’s largest shopping mall, the Dubai Mall, to the traditional markets like the Gold Souk, Dubai has something for every type of shopper.

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo is a shopping paradise, with its high-end fashion boutiques, quirky street markets, and anime merchandise shops. The Shibuya and Harajuku districts are must-visit places for fashion lovers, while the Akihabara district is a haven for technology enthusiasts.

Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is famous for its vibrant markets, or souks, where you can find everything from spices and textiles to leather goods and jewelry. The Jemaa el-Fna square is the heart of the city’s shopping scene and a must-visit place for any shopper.

New York City, USA

New York City is a shopper’s dream, with its high-end fashion boutiques, flagship stores, and vintage shops. From the iconic Fifth Avenue to the trendy SoHo neighborhood, New York City offers a diverse range of shopping experiences.

Tips for Shopping Tourism

Here are some tips to make the most of your shopping tourism experience:

Research before you go

Research the destination and its shopping areas before you go. Look for unique products, local markets, and shopping events that you don’t want to miss.

Set a budget

Set a budget for your shopping expenses and stick to it. Avoid overspending by prioritizing the products that you really want to buy.

Bargain smartly

Bargaining is a common practice in many shopping destinations. However, it’s essential to bargain smartly and respectfully. Know the market prices, start with a low offer, and be willing to walk away if the price is too high.

Pack light when traveling for shopping tourism. Leave some space in your luggage for the products that you’ll purchase, and consider shipping larger items home to avoid excess weight charges at the airport.

Shop early in the day to avoid crowds and get the best deals. Many markets and shops offer discounts and promotions in the morning, so it’s worth waking up early to take advantage of them.

Try local cuisine

Sampling the local cuisine is an essential part of any travel experience. Try the local food and drinks while you’re shopping to get a taste of the region’s culinary traditions.

Shopping tourism is a great way to explore new destinations, support local businesses, and indulge in your passion for shopping. With proper planning and budgeting, you can make the most of your shopping tourism experience and bring back unique souvenirs that will remind you of your travels. Remember to research your destination, set a budget, bargain smartly, pack light, and try the local cuisine. Happy shopping!

• Is shopping tourism only for luxury shoppers?

No, shopping tourism is for everyone. There are shopping destinations that cater to every budget and style, from high-end luxury malls to quirky street markets.

• Can shopping tourism be sustainable?

Yes, shopping tourism can be sustainable by supporting local businesses and economies. You can also choose eco-friendly products and avoid excessive packaging and waste.

• How do I find unique products while shopping tourism?

Research the destination and its shopping areas before you go, and look for local markets, artisanal shops, and products that are unique to the region.

• Can I bargain while shopping tourism?

Bargaining is a common practice in many shopping destinations. However, it’s essential to bargain smartly and respectfully. Know the market prices, start with a low offer and be willing to walk away if the price is too high.

• What should I pack for shopping tourism?

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The importance of shopping tourism for destinations and hotel companies

1. Shopping as the main tourist attraction

. The concept of ‘shopping tourism’ is quite recent, and is expanding in the tourism sector. Its expansion in the market is due, like many changes currently taking place, to new consumer attitudes . For years, consumer purchases in the tourism sector were considered a leisure activity, a circumstance linked to travel motivations, whether for pleasure or business travel. Today, this has become the main motivation for travel for many customers: more and more travelers are choosing to travel abroad to purchase products rather than buying them in their home country.

For travelers interested in this type of tourism, the acquisition of products abroad goes beyond the products themselves: shopping has become a travel experience in which they prioritize quality both in the shops where they will shop and in the time they will devote to this activity. Although it has become a main motivation for travel, it can also be made compatible with other motivations, such as the cultural interest of travelers in the destinations where they wish to go shopping, so that they can make their shopping compatible with visiting outstanding places in the destinations.

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From this perspective, we can observe that the relationship between tourism and shopping is not so strange, since the shops most visited by travelers are those located in the downtown area of the cities , which are usually also points of activity of tourist companies .

This travel experience, then, becomes at the same time a powerful element to enhance the attractiveness of destinations . Finding a place that can satisfy the shopping needs of travelers is essential in this experience, especially those places that have stores that specialize in a commercial sector, such as fashion or gastronomy. While big brands are of interest to consumers, the truth is that they are brands that are possible to locate in any destination.

What travelers want is to go to local stores where the quality of the products is combined with the identity of the destinations. In other words, consumers find local stores selling unique quality products more attractive compared to other destinations, as revealed by Jörn Gieschen, a researcher at the Institute of Enterprise (IE) . For example, we all know that many travelers travel to Valencia to taste the authentic Valencian paella, or that shoppers who wish to purchase a high-quality watch travel to Switzerland to visit its best watchmakers.

Therefore, shopping tourism can become a hotel tool to attract this specific consumer segment to hotel establishments. However, with ‘shopping’ being their main motivation for traveling to other destinations, it requires taking a new approach to shopping: instead of considering it a leisure activity unrelated to travelers’ stays, establishments should consider new strategies specifically dedicated to attracting this segment d e customers through the sale of shopping experiences in the destination .

2. International shopping tourism

. It is common for travelers to have expenses when traveling for vacation or business, so any place of interest has an average tourist expenditure. In the case of destinations that are starting to generate interest in shopping tourism that average is much higher than in those destinations where this tourist motivation is not being promoted.

You might imagine that cities like Rome or Paris are the cities with the highest average tourist spending internationally, right? Well, the surprise is that London , Madrid and Barcelona are considered the best cities for shopping tourism, but Geneva and Zurich are the destinations where there is a highest average daily spending by travelers, exceeding $150 ( Esatur , 2018).

And why? Because they are places of interest for their shops , in addition to their powerful tourist value. Geneva brings together exclusive watchmakers, department stores and stores specializing in Swiss chocolate, while Zurich has streets full of luxury stores. Thus, these destinations are not only attractive for sightseeing, but also for buying gifts and especially for acquiring exclusive products that cannot be obtained elsewhere, or for the satisfaction that many shoppers derive from buying products in these cities.

And what kind of experiences can tourist establishments offer? Let’s take Switzerland, which is world famous for its watches, as an example. One of the Swiss ‘shopping tourism’ experiences is the guided visit to watch factories ; apart from their possible interest in buying a watch in this destination, it is an attractive activity to make them know more closely the watch manufacturing procedures.

Another inspiring idea is that of Tailor Made Shanghai, a company founded by an American living in China: his company is dedicated to tailor-made clothing and offers its customers a travel experience in Shanghai . This experience consists, on the one hand, in the making of the garments in the company, and on the other hand, in the realization of cultural and gastronomic activities in Shanghai for the client. In this way, the company offers its customers a whole experience in the destination, so that at the end of their trip they can take their garments home with them.

3. Spain as a shopping destination

. What is the situation of shopping tourism in Spain? No one doubts the great tourist attraction of this country, which makes it the second destination in the world with the highest number of incoming tourists. The destinations where travelers are starting to generate more spending when shopping in Spanish stores are Catalonia , Madrid , Andalusia , Balearic Islands and Canary Islands ( Esatur , 2018). This does not mean that the rest of the destinations cannot contribute benefits, but it does mean that tourist establishments should promote campaigns associated with shopping tourism to boost this activity in the rest of Spanish destinations .

The market that brings more buyers to Spain is China . Already between 2014 and 2015 the Chinese had become the clients who spend the most shopping in Spain and Europe ( Ernst & Young , 2015), and they still continue to be the main ‘shopping’ travelers in our country. The Chinese consider that Spain has great potential for shopping tourism, however, their offer is not becoming known among the high purchasing power classes . Spain, then, could aspire to receive travelers who could spend more money shopping in Spanish territory, but the tourism sector is not taking advantage of its full potential.

The Madrid 7 Estrellas initiative carried out by the Community of Madrid, with the aim of boosting Madrid’s image as a shopping tourism destination for the Chinese, for example, has done so. Such has been its success that they have decided to expand this same strategy to the markets of Japan, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina and India.

And what are the interests of Spaniards? A recent study by Booking revealed that 34% of Spaniards surveyed take their fashion and shopping interests into account when choosing their vacation destinations ( Booking , 2018). On the other hand, interests such as gastronomy (49%) and nightlife (40%) also count when choosing their vacation spot. These data are fundamental to start devising strategies to attract local customers who are interested in going on vacation without moving from Spanish borders.

4. How to prepare my company for shopping tourism?

. As you have been able to see, this new travel motivation can reinforce the attractiveness of the destination where your establishment is located, as well as bring an innovative activity to the services of your hotel that attracts this new segment of the tourist market. If you want to start preparing your hotel for shopping tourism, take into account the following factors.

4.1. Know the trends

. Before you start planning your leap into shopping tourism, it is essential to know some of the trends that are boosting opportunities for this activity. And if we talk about trends, we cannot fail to mention digitization , which has greatly boosted tourism shopping. It is true that consumers continue to pay by card or cash, but the possibility of making payments through mobile devices will bring great opportunities for hotel establishments that prepare activities aimed at this market segment.

We have talked about the fact that big brands can be found in every destination. And that is why there is talk that tourism companies should organize campaigns away from globalization . That is to say, move away from the promotion of big brands, and take advantage of the power of small and local businesses .

As we mentioned earlier, travelers are beginning to feel more attracted to local businesses, and therefore to local and more exclusive products, those more related to the cultural identity of the destinations. An interesting experience to sell is, for example, the creation of routes of local businesses or activities related to this sector.

Finally, the tourism sector knows that foreigners from more distant countries spend more money than travelers from closer countries. That is why a good shopping tourism strategy should not seek exclusively to reach as many consumers as possible, but to reach a number of customers who are quality and who are willing to pay more for a shopping experience in Spain.

4.2. Preparing strategies

. To plan and sell an experience to attract customers interested in tourist ‘shopping’, a number of factors need to be taken into account.

• The commercial strengths of the destination in which your establishment is located
• The cultural or touristic strengths that can be combined with the above
• Study of the market from which you wish to attract customers
• The creation of a trade route
• The creation of a route of shops
• An experience that can be complemented with other products and services of your hotel

The objective is, then, to devise a travel experience that you can offer in your hotel, either as a secondary experience or launch to turn it into a package of services of your hotel and consequently into one of the main attractions of your hotel chain .

4.3. A website for shopping tourism

. You already know that your customers come to your website looking to book their next stay at your hotel, but it can also become a magnificent platform to attract customers interested in shopping tourism . You can imagine how: creating quality content with the keywords or keywords that you have discovered are trending in the target audience you are interested in attracting. And of course, providing all the information about the experience you want to offer to those interested in tourism shopping. This way, you will achieve online visibility and reach new segments interested in this activity for your hotel.

4.4. Prepare a video marketing campaign

. We all know the power of video marketing in the tourism sector . And yes, it’s a great strategy for getting into shopping tourism. A fantastic example is this campaign by the tourism experience company Become Córdoba . This campaign has been able to perfectly enhance the main elements within the commerce of Cordoba and merge them with the cultural attraction of the city.

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• What is Retail Tourism? And Why Retailers Should Care?

by naureen amjad Feb 19, 2020 Retail with Candela -

• Candela Retail Blog
• Retail with Candela -

What is Retail Tourism[spacer height=”20px”]

Retail tourism or shopping tourism refers to the important link between the tourist industry and retailing. Shopping, buying local products and trying out local cuisines are integral aspects of the tourist experience. Thus if a tourist industry of any country prospers, it provides ample opportunities for the retailers to benefit from the influx of tourists both local and foreigners.

[spacer height=”20px”] Retail Tourism in Pakistan[spacer height=”20px”]

Retail tourism in Pakistan has a vast scope. Many cities in Pakistan have a rich history with monuments and sites commemorating various historical eras, events and personalities. The September 2019 report ‘ The Cultural Heritage and Museums Visits ’ by Gallup Pakistan indicates a 317% increase in tourist traffic to cultural sites in Pakistan during the last five years. And Punjab contributes approximately 95% of this traffic. The report data also shows a two folds increase in total foreign visits to both cultural and museum sites over the past five years. These figures are promising for the retail industrt.

Not just museums and cultural sites, but many old bazaars and markets can also become popular tourist spots. These bazaars have a vintage feel and the buildings and monuments that exist there have witnessed history. Consider one of the most famous and historical bazaars of Lahore, the Anarkali Bazaar . It is not just a hub of apparel and shoe retail but also has a great attraction for tourists owing to the many historical landmarks strewn in the bazaar.

Similarly, there are many old markets in and around the walled city. Azam cloth market is one such market with a rich history. Then we have Nisbat Road Camera Market , Moti Bazar, Brandreth road market, to name just a few. Moreover, Religious tourism also forms an integral part of the Pakistan tourist industry, and many cities, especially in Punjab and Sindh are the eternal abodes of famous Sufi saints. Shrine retail is thus an important sector, and the tourists visiting these shrines inevitably indulge in some sort of retail therapy either by buying things as mementos or other local stuff and trying out famous traditional food.

Bullah Shah, Shrine Retail & Food

Also read : Retail Tourism in Shogran: A Small Bazaar Waking up After the Pandemic

Now the newly opened Kartarpur corridor is another opportunity for the retailers to showcase their products and provide goods and services to the tourists visiting the site.

Why Retailers Should Care[spacer height=”20px”]

As the tourist trade expands in Pakistan, the retail industry can benefit from it not just by ensuring their presence near the famous tourist attractions but also by forming partnership with the tour companies, travel agents, tour operators and tour guides. Such partnerships are based on mutually agreed terms and conditions. The terms concerning the retailing part involve commission percentages for the tour operators or tour-guides who bring visitors to the retail outlets. Retail outlets need a system in place whereby they can keep track of all such logistics.   [spacer height=”20px”]

Retail Tourism and Candela Retail Software[spacer height=”20px”]

Retailers need to leverage the burgeoning retail tourism in Pakistan. As we have discussed above, retail tourism is not just about handicrafts and souvenir shops. The tourists are interested in getting a feel of the place and have an authentic cultural experience. Local markets and local food joints thus work hand in hand with retail tourist industry. Retailers can form partnerships with local tour companies and travel guides to create a win-win situation for all parties.

As you know, Candela retail software is all about catering to the retail industry in the best possible ways. Keeping in view the importance of this new trend, there is now a new retail tourism module in Candela. Candela users can use this module to configure tour details, register tours, calculate commission, scan tourists’ codes, and generate reports to analyze how every tour benefits them.

Here’s the link to the tutorials of retail tourism module. You can also read the article:  Retail Tourism Management Made Easy in Eight Steps

How do you think the tourist retail can impact the retail industry in Pakistan? Do let us know in the comments section below.

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The importance of shopping tourism for retailers

Project description.

“Business travellers looking for gifts, frequent tourists or shoppers on a weekend trip: these are all potential consumers for retailers. The difficulty is understanding what kind of travellers will be visiting an area close to stores in order to adjust the retail planning and strategy to best serve these, often affluent, global shopping tourists. And with international travel on the rise again, this target audience will only gain importance.”

Lorena García Elices Senior Analyst at ForwardKeys

In this case study, we discover how a luxury retailer used ForwardKeys data to gain a better understanding of the shopping tourism market. The retailer in question operates internationally and works with a multitude of major luxury brands, specialising in transforming shopping into a fun and memorable experience. It achieves this by creating places with something for everyone to enjoy. For example, the company offers a wide range of restaurants as well as a variety of activities that can be enjoyed by families and other target groups. It also stocks items from numerous luxury brands, often at a discounted price, to ensure no one leaves its stores unsatisfied.

The shopping tourism market is one of the fastest-growing segments of the tourism industry. Previously, it would only account for a small proportion of our client’s visitors. However, over time, shopping tourists have become a very valuable and reliable target group.

With the market growing at such a rate, the retailer required a better understanding of it. It had three key challenges in targeting shopping tourists. Firstly, there are many types of shopping tourist – families, social groups, Asian business travellers, etc. – and all these groups have their own needs and preferred brands, which made it hard for our client to know how and, more importantly, where to target these customers. Secondly, the retailer struggled to predict when these shopping tourists would visit. Finally, it had difficulty establishing whether and how special holidays such as Chinese New Year and Ramadan influenced their sales.

What our client needed was a better understanding of who their shopping tourists were and, more importantly, where they came from. They also needed data that showed when these tourists were going to visit so that they could prepare for them – as well as the ability to predict the the impact of special holidays.

With the help of a correlation analysis , we sought to demonstrate the link between the findings of our data and shopping behaviour (this process is explained in more detail in our ‘Correlation analysis case study’). The analysis showed the value of ForwardKeys data, and we moved on to addressing our client’s requirements.

We were able to help the retailer gain a better understanding of shopping tourists through Traveller Statistics , a user-friendly, retail-oriented platform that provides in-depth flight data down to the airport terminal level of all international airports. Of particular interest to our client was the solution’s Forecasting module, which provides daily, monthly and even annual travel forecasts to allow users to anticipate future travellers to the location of their stores and better prepare for their arrival.

In addition, through Licensed Datasets , we enabled our client to inject our data into their own business processes.

With the information provided by the reports, the retailer was able to achieve several things. First, because they knew where their visitors came from, they were able to make strategic marketing decisions. For example, knowing where their customers resided, the client was able to start marketing campaigns in their home countries and at the airports they used to travel to their destination. This strategic marketing campaign had a positive impact on the number of shopping tourists visiting their stores.

Second, since the retailer was able to monitor and predict traveller flows, it could also anticipate demand. This meant it had the right amount of stock and the right staff, speaking the right languages, at the right time. The ability to anticipate demand also helped the client to decide what in-store promotions to offer and when. Finally, the reports provided many valuable KPIs that the client uses regularly in its reporting.

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Malaysia is a shopping paradise for many tourists

Saturday, 20 Aug 2022

A file picture from 2018 at Jonker Walk in Melaka, where tourists and locals love to visit. — Filepic

There are different reasons for going on a trip, and different types of vacations that one can plan for. One of them is a shopping holiday, something that is seeing an uptick in post-lockdown travelling trends.

According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s (DOSM) latest data on domestic tourism trends (2021), shopping tourism is “becoming an increasingly relevant component of the tourism value chain”. What this means is that shopping plays a major role in determining the value of a holiday destination.

It is an important component of the overall travel experience, or a deal breaker, if you will. In some cases, it is even the main motivation for travel, where if the destination offers little to no shopping experience, then some folks may prefer to go somewhere else.

In Malaysia, shopping is one of the top categories that influence domestic tourists’ expenditure, according to the DOSM’s Domestic Tourism Survey conducted last year.

Even though overall domestic tourism expenditure fell by 54.5% in 2021 (mainly due to the lockdowns and various travel bans imposed nationwide), shopping remained the most popular purpose (36.4%) for travel among domestic visitors. Other purposes include visiting relatives and friends (24.2%), holidaying/relaxing (15.5%), seeking medical treatment/wellness (10.3%) and incentive travel/others (6.6%).

Tourism is definitely a boon for retailers, too. The global travel retail market size was valued at US$51bil (RM227.43bil) in 2021 and is projected to grow to over US$96.11bil (RM428.6bil) by 2029. There is a huge opportunity for both the retail and tourism industry to capitalise on this shopping holiday trend, and develop authentic shopping experiences that would add value to a destination.

Acknowledging this, Tourism Malaysia and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in the past two years have come up with many initiatives in a bid to boost not just the tourism industry, but the country’s economy overall. New campaigns

The Shop & Be Rewarded Campaign returns for a second year running! Jointly organised by Tourism Malaysia and the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association (PPKM), the campaign kicks off today and will take place over 16 days so there will be ample time for shoppers to earn their reward.

This time around, the Shop & Be Rewarded Campaign 2.0 will be split into two sessions: The first one is from Aug 20 to Sept 4, and the second will run from Oct 22 to Nov 6. As many as 35 shopping centres and malls within Peninsular Malaysia will be participating in the campaign.

Under this programme, shoppers can redeem an evoucher worth RM30 for a minimum spending of RM100. All you need to do is to scan the QR Code at participating malls, which will then take you to the PPKM app. In the app, just fill in your details (MyKad number, phone number, full name) and proof of purchase, in order to get the evoucher.

This offer is eligible to all Malaysian citizens, and is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. As many as 66,666 shoppers are expected to participate in the campaign (for both sessions), with vouchers totalling RM2mil in value.

On top of that, Tourism Malaysia is also holding the Miss SHOPhia Go Travel 2022 exhibition at selected venues as part of the Shop & Be Rewarded Campaign 2.0. This inaugural exhibition, launched yesterday at the 1Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, will be held until Aug 21; a second exhibition will be held at Paradigm Mall in Johor Baru, from Oct 21 to 23.

As many as 16 tourism-related businesses that focus on niche tourism will be promoting their products and packages at the exhibition. Craftwork demonstrations, cooking demonstrations, lucky draws and traditional performances will also be held during the three-day event.

The 16 vendors involved in the exhibition are: Farm In The City, Karyaneka Malaysia, Associations Of Theme Park & Family Attractions, Association Of Malaysia SPA, Aurora: Adventure Leadership & Outdoor Recreation UPSI, eDU-Park UPM, Natural History Tours, Adventure 360 Tours, Gua Damai Extreme Park, Efa Nur Travel, Selangor Fruit Valley, Che Wan Scuba, PD Watersports, Paulini Heritage Craft, Tourland Travel and Malaysia Kampungstay & Homestay Association.

Another major initiative is the long-term partnership between Tourism Malaysia and Visa, in a bid to drive inbound travel and promote the country as a preferred travel destination.

The Visa Preferred Merchant Programme gives Visa cardholders access to exclusive offers for accommodation, air tickets, dining, shopping and medical wellness. The programme is available for both domestic and international travellers during identified tourist travel seasons online via the Tourism Malaysia (malaysia.travel) and Visa (visa.com.my) websites.

The government agency has also entered a tripartite collaboration with WCT Malls Management (wct.com.my) and Visa, where they work on a series of campaigns that all carry the common theme, #SHOPPINGEXTRAVAGANZA!.

Exciting programmes have been lined up to take place in WCT Malls’ retail properties around Peninsular Malaysia, like Paradigm Mall in Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Paradigm Mall in Johor Baru, and Gateway@klia2 in Sepang, Selangor.

In the Voucher Bonanza Sale campaign, shoppers get to enjoy 20% savings when they buy a WCT evoucher using a Visa card. A total of RM500,000 worth of shopping vouchers are up for grabs.

Shopping tourism is a niche tourism product that will continue to do well in Malaysia, not just in the domestic market, but international too. We have a good selection of brands – luxury, mid-range and budget – available nationwide, as well as quality made-in-Malaysia brands too.

On top of that, the shopping experience in Malaysia is also complemented by other great local experiences like food and heritage tours, cultural shows, nature excursions, adventure tourism and more.

Here are a few shopping malls worth checking out, as well as some popular markets that offer a rich cultural experience to visitors.

IOI City Mall, Putrajaya

This new mall, said to be Malaysia’s biggest once its Phase 2 opens on Aug 25, is strategically located at IOI Resort City in Putrajaya. It is about a 30-minute drive from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, making it an attractive retail and entertainment hub for tourists.

There are plenty of tenants, shops and dining options at this mall, including AEON, Proton, Nitori, MajuHome Concept, Lotus’s, Harvey Norman, Parkson, HomePro and GSC, which offers the best in cinema experiences.

In total, IOI City Mall will have over 700 retail outlets by Aug 25.

But beyond the retail options, there are also a handful of attractions worth checking out. There’s the IOI City Farm, a permanent indoor edutainment exhibition space with interactive family-friendly activities; a grand exhibition and convention centre fitted with state-of-the-art facilities (capacity of 2,000 or 3,000 guests, depending on type of event); and a world-class rooftop sports facility featuring 15 badminton courts and two covered futsal arenas.

Apart from that there is also Icescape, said to be the biggest ice-skating rink in the country, as confirmed by Malaysia Book of Records. Located on the first floor of the mall, the rink is 30m x 60m in size and perfect for leisure skating and ice hockey games.

If you’re looking for to relax after a day of shopping, head to The Symphony Walk, which has a stunning waterfront and al-fresco dining options. The highlight of The Symphony Walk are the dancing musical fountains and dazzling light shows, which take place a few times every weekday and weekends.

Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur

Not to be mistaken with Pavilion KL, this new shopping mall offers a vibrant mix of well-known retail brands, as well as new local and international labels and outlets.

The huge mall spans across five retail floors with a total of 167,225sq m of space, and features a department store (Parkson), multi-brand stores like Harvey Norman Superstore, Iconcraft, Absolute Siam, Ecotopia, premium grocer The Food Merchant, and lifestyle store duluKINI, which sells Malaysian-inspired and Malaysian-made merchandise.

There’s also Bukit Jalil Tsutaya Books, the largest bookstore chain in Japan that’s famously known as “one of the world’s most beautiful book stores”. This is the company’s first outpost store in South-East Asia and is touted to have over 264,000 books, lifestyle merchandise and stationery items.

If you’re looking for something to do there other than shopping or dining, then you can check out Blue Ice skating rink. People of all ages can ice skate at this rink; there’s also a Skating Academy that you can enrol in if you’re interested in learning.

Lalaport BBCC, KL

Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport BBCC (LaLaport BBCC) is another new mall in Malaysia that offers a rich, immersive experience for shoppers with six retail floors. It is expected to host 400 stores, which will be opened in stages.

Some of the stores worth checking out are BookXcess, Metrojaya, Natural Wonders, Nitori, Nerve Hunter, Ngam Ngam Neighbourhood and Toy World. There are also lots of dining options you can find here, like Yakiniku Sizzle, Dotour, TBS Food Heritage, Shin’Labo by James Won and MyRotee.

Currently, the mall has a free art exhibition by the popular Japanese art collective TeamLab. The exhibition, called Resonating Microcosms: Liquified Light Colour, Sunrise And Sunset, will be there until Nov 30. There are two artworks to check out: Resonating Microcosms and Resonating Trees, located at the mall’s Central Rooftop Garden on level four.

Lalaport BBC has 2,400 parking spots, and direct pedestrian connection to the Hang Tuah LRT and KL Monorail stations. It is a five-minute walk from the MRT Merdeka station (Sungai Buloh-Kajang line).

1Utama Shopping Centre, Selangor

This hugely popular mall began as a friendly neighbourhood shopping centre in 1995, and grew into the mega lifestyle and entertainment complex it is today. It has more than 700 retail stores, including anchor tenants like Aeon, Parkson, GSC and TGV.

Selangor’s latest arts and theatre space, PJ Performing Arts Centre (PJPac), is located within the premises, along with the newly-opened public skatepark.

The skatepark is part of the mall’s sports and recreation attraction, which also includes a surf centre (Flowrider), Asia’s biggest rock climbing gym (Camp5) and Windlab, the first indoor skydiving wind tunnel in Asia Pacific. If you want to take a break from shopping, check out Rollerwa, South Korea’s top indoor rollerskating rink, or have a bite at the many cafes or restaurants available.

1Utama usually has special events spread across the mall each weekend, too, so do check their website or social media pages for updates. With the MRT Bandar Utama station (Sungai Buloh-Kajang line) adjacent to the building, it is one of the most accessible malls in the Klang Valley.

Queensbay Mall, Penang

Penang’s largest shopping mall is only a 15-minute drive from the airport (as well as from the Penang bridge), which is definitely convenient for travellers. There’s an extensive range of retail (with Aeon as its anchor tenant), restaurant and entertainment offerings here, but what makes it a great place to shop or just hang out, is the waterfront view. Located in Bayan Lepas, Queensbay Mall lies along the coast and faces Jerejak Island.

Those who need a break from shopping can watch a movie at GSC, or head to Mission-Q for a thrilling “escape room-style” game. If you have young children, take them to the Happy Wonderland arcade or the Sunset Garden Kiddie Ride.

Jonker Walk, Melaka

The Jonker Street Night Market is the highlight of Jonker Walk in Melaka, and it has been operating as a weekend night market (Friday to Sunday) for more than 20 years. It is usually one of the top things listed on the heritage city’s must-do activities or must-visit places.

There are lots of goodies sold at this night market, including local snacks, clothing, and souvenirs too. Look out for stalls that sell traditional handicrafts or goods, as they are sometimes handmade by local artisans, and therefore unique.

There is actually much to explore in the area, where it is surrounded by historical buildings and landmarks like the A’Famosa, Church of St Paul, Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum and Cheng Ho’s Cultural Museum.

Many of the city’s murals can also be seen within the Jonker Walk area. For a more exciting experience, consider taking a cruise along the Melaka river where you can see many other murals along a scenic route.

Gaya Street, Sabah

The Gaya Street Sunday Market (or simply referred to as Gaya Street by locals) in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, takes place every Sunday morning. More than just a regular morning market, Gaya Street offers an interesting mix of local crafts, antiques, souvenirs, snacks, seasonal fruits, plants, flowers and even pets.

Local families usually visit the market as a way to spend some quality time together, while visitors go to try a variety of food items, and just experience the culture and lifestyle of Sabahans.

The market, located on Gaya Street (hence the name) near the Sabah Tourism Board office, starts as early as 6am and ends at 1pm.

Participating malls for the Shop & Be Rewarded Campaign 2.0

Klang Valley

1. 1Utama Shopping Centre, Selangor

2. 3 Damansara, Selangor

3. Fahrenheit 88, Kuala Lumpur

4. Intermark Mall, KL

5. IOI City Mall, Putrajaya

6. IOI Mall Puchong, Selangor

7. IPC Shopping Centre, Selangor

8. Melawati Mall, KL

9. Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

10. Pavilion Bukit Jalil, KL

11. Plaza Low Yat, KL

12. Subang Parade, Selangor

13. Sungei Wang Plaza, KL

14. Sunway Putra Mall, KL

15. Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall, Selangor

16. Sunway Velocity Mall, KL

17. The Mines Shopping Mall, Selangor

18. Wangsa Walk Mall, KL

Northern & East Coast

1. 1st Avenue Penang

2. Central Square, Kedah

3. Gurney Plaza, Penang

4. Kompleks Bukit Jambul, Penang

5. Kulim Central, Kedah

6. Prangin Mall, Penang

7. Queensbay Mall, Penang

8. Sunway Carnival Mall, Penang

9. East Coast Mall, Pahang

10. First World Plaza, Pahang

11. Sky Avenue, Pahang

12. Awana SkyCentral, Pahang

1. IOI Mall Kulai, Johor

2. Mahkota Parade, Melaka

3. Paradigm Mall, Johor

4. Segamat Central, Johor

5. Wetex Parade, Johor

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What Is Shopping Tourism?

An emerging concept, not long ago “going shopping” was considered a leisure activity but currently, consumption is not something related only to products. We also consume places, spaces and time. The things we buy are considered themselves a touristic activity and a travelling experience.

For the best in shopping tourism, Europe remains the ultimate destination for a luxury shopping experience. The Old Continent sets trends that never go out of fashion thanks to the cultural, and creative aura the place releases. For countries such as Italy whom are undoubtedly one of the world leaders in tourism but still posses a series of challenges linked to the development model of its touristic industry, one of the natural solutions that has emerged has been boosting shopping tourism. The logic being that, shopping has the potential to improve the quality and diversify tourism. The right encouragement of shopping as a touristic activity generates a broader diversification in the activities to do and the places to visit.

So if you’re thinking of where to go next on holiday consider choosing a destination based on both its sight-seeing prospects as well as it’s shops. In need of inspiration? For the best in shopping and tourism, head to Rome. In this wonderful city you can experience the architectural and historical beauty with the cult of shopping which makes it extremely popular for tourists whom love to shop. Best of all, most of the luxury stores are usually empty, not for the lack of customers, quite the opposite, but because regular clients opt to buy luxury clothing online and only tourists venture into the stores.

Where to shop? If you’re looking for men’s or womenswear clothing and decide to do some shopping between visiting the Colosseum and The Vatican, you should totally visit LuisaViaRoma.

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Impact of Shopping Tourism for the Retail Trade as a Strategy for the Local Development of Cities

Ana isabel muro-rodríguez.

1 Econometrics Area, Department of Spanish and International Economy, Econometrics, History and Economic Institutions. University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain

Israel Roberto Pérez-Jiménez

Jesús antonio sánchez-araque.

2 Department of Business Administration. University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain

Introduction

Shopping Tourism is a recent concept that is defined as a contemporary form of tourism carried out by individuals for whom the acquisition of goods, outside their place of residence, is a determining factor in their decision to travel (WTO, 2014 , p.13).

Shopping tourism is currently one of the main strategic lines of countries to promote sustainable and quality tourism (Yu and Littrell, 2003 ; Tosun et al., 2007 ; WTO, 2014 , 2017 , 2018 ; The Shopping Quality Tourism Institute, 2015 , 2017 ; Tourspain, 2015 , 2018 ). This tourism is the one that generates wealth and distributes it equitably, is environmentally sustainable and has a positive impact on the environment (The Shopping Quality Tourism Institute, 2015 , 2017 ; MINCOTUR, 2019b ). It implies an important economic and employment impact for the cities and countries in which it takes place, and favors deseasonalization and diversification (The Shopping Quality Tourism Institute, 2015 , 2017 ).

The impact that this commercial tourism has on employment and economic growth in the countries is considerable, making it a key strategic industry (Jansen-Verbeke, 1991 ; Yu and Littrell, 2003 ; Tugcu, 2014 ; Webster and Ivanov, 2014 ; Tourspain, 2015 ; Albayrak et al., 2016 ).

Spain has become one of the most important tourist powers in the world (Tourspain, 2018 ). In 2017, it was the second country in the world in number of tourists and in income from international tourism with nearly 87,000 million euros (WTO, 2018 ; MINCOTUR, 2019b ). Then in 2018 the tourism sector closed with a new record of 82.6 million international tourists and a volume of 89,678 million euros (MINCOTUR, 2019a ).

Given these figures, it is necessary to take advantage of this potential market and bet on the quality and diversification of the offer of tourism products, as a key element of the National and Integral Tourism Plan, and this will be achieved by promoting quality tourism and shopping as an engine of economic and social growth (Tourspain, 2015 ).

This strategic line of exploiting the relationship between trade and tourism and taking advantage of the existing synergies between the two (Getz, 1993 ; Ryan et al., 1999 ; Global Blue, 2015 ), can help the city retail sector to adapt to new consumption habits. Also, it can open new horizons and avoid the disappearance of city centers as places of commerce due to the closure of businesses (Tourspain, 2015 ; MINECO, 2017 ). Additionally, the tourism sector can avoid its main weaknesses such as the typical tourist offer of the sun and beach, the concentration of demand in time and territory, or the strong dependence of certain issuing countries (Tourspain, 2015 ; MINCOTUR, 2019b ).

This tourism is an increasingly attractive alternative for improving local commercial activity and, at the same time, shopping can be an active potential for the city to differentiate itself as a chosen destination (Tourspain, 2015 ; The Shopping Quality Tourism Institute, 2017 ; MINCOTUR, 2019b ).

In this sense, there are different specific initiatives to promote cities as shopping tourism destinations, both in the city center and for other areas, most of which are centered on Madrid and Barcelona, since both occupy the second position among the best European cities as shopping destinations (Travé, 2019 ). In order to establish strategies, destinations must have a high level of knowledge about the socio-economic profile of tourists, their main motivations for traveling and the choice of destination (Žabkar et al., 2010 ; Choi et al., 2016a ), especially because this knowledge can influence the competitive capacity of tourist destinations as shopping destinations (Kim et al., 2011 ; Cohen et al., 2014 ).

The aim of this research is to highlight the importance of shopping tourism for cities: (1) need for the commercial and tourism sectors to exploit the interrelationships between the two, (2) socio-economic impact on local trade, (3) identify differentiation strategies for cities as shopping destinations and (4) establish recommendations based on the analysis of key factors for listing a city as a shopping destination.

Shopping Tourism and its Impact on Cities

Shopping as a tourist activity has recently been analyzed. Purchasing tourism has received little attention so there are few publications in this area (Choi et al., 2016b ).

Shopping is a common and fundamental tourist activity both from the tourist's perspective and for the chosen destination (Jin et al., 2017 ). It is one of the most important activities for tourists (Yu and Littrell, 2003 ; Lloyd et al., 2011 ; Albayrak et al., 2016 ). In many cases, shopping is an important factor in the choice of destination (Moscardo, 2004 ) and in others, it is may be the main reason for traveling (Timothy, 2005 ; Lehto et al., 2014 ).

Therefore, it is very important to know on what attributes tourists base their decisions (Dann, 1981 ; Žabkar et al., 2010 ; Hult et al., 2017 ) and what valuation purchases have on their trips (Murphy et al., 2000 ; Oh et al., 2004 ; Wong and Wan, 2013 ). Since 2000, researchers have shown an increased interest in examining people's motives for shopping while traveling and how they are influenced by the tourist destination (Albayrak et al., 2016 ; Choi et al., 2016a ).

From a tourist perspective, Albayrak et al. ( 2016 ) and Jin et al. ( 2017 ) show most studies that deal with the relationships between sociodemographic characteristics and purchasing attitudes (Kim and Littrell, 2001 ; Yazdani, 2007 ; Yüksel and Yüksel, 2007 ; Alegre and Cladera, 2012 ), purchasing motivation (Law and Au, 2000 ; Swanson and Horridge, 2006 ; Yüksel, 2007 ; Kattiyapornpong and Miller, 2012 ); consumer satisfaction (Heung and Cheng, 2000 ; Reisinger and Turner, 2002 ; Wong and Law, 2003 ; Chang et al., 2006 ; Tosun et al., 2007 ; Murphy et al., 2011a , b ; Wong and Wan, 2013 ; Chang, 2014 ), shopping characteristics (Choi et al., 2008 ; Han et al., 2015 ), outdoor environment and procurement evaluation (Christiansen and Snepenger, 2002 ; Yüksel, 2004 , 2013 ).

For cities, shopping can be an important source of income (Murphy et al., 2011a , b ). Shopping tourism also favors the creation of job opportunities and improves the image of cities as tourist destinations (Cohen et al., 2014 ; Tugcu, 2014 ; Webster and Ivanov, 2014 ). In this sense, many cities use tourism shopping as a promotional strategy to differentiate themselves from the competition (Ryan et al., 1999 ; Snepenger et al., 2003 ; Coles, 2004 ; Rabbiosi, 2011 , 2015 ; Hurst and Niehm, 2012 ; Timothy, 2014 ).

It must be kept in mind that in the consumer's choice not only the physical attributes of a product count. For the maximization of the usefulness of the tourist's behavior there are other attributes like visiting places and spaces where to understand the local culture and strengthen social bonds (Timothy, 2005 ; Saayman and Saayman, 2012 ). These variables are relevant for differentiating cities in terms of their attributes.

Better information on the patterns and factors that condition the behavior of shopping tourists offers opportunities to the cities' tourism industry (Jansen-Verbeke, 1991 ). On the one hand, it allows for better planning and management of sales and expenses (Timothy, 2014 ) and on the other hand, it serves as a basis for promoting alternative places of attraction, creation of spaces and brand development of a city (Kemperman et al., 2009 ; Rabbiosi, 2011 , 2015 ). Thus a new strategic line emerges for areas that can base their attractiveness on shopping tourism (Murphy et al., 2011b ). They are generally cities or areas with a pleasant environment marked by historical or natural features along tourist routes, in tourist destination areas or near urban centers. However, they differ from urban businesses and shopping districts because they have a specialized retail trade and a distinctive atmosphere (Getz, 1993 ). These relationships between shopping and tourism are based on the study of literature and some empirical results that relate shopping as a means of tourist attraction (Jansen-Verbeke, 1991 , 2000 ).

It is important to analyze advantages and disadvantages when talking about sustainable development and quality tourism. Social and environmental costs must be balanced with economic benefits (Ryan et al., 1999 ; Moscardo and Murphy, 2014 ; The Shopping Quality Tourism Institute, 2017 ). Tourism is a very important sector for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 2030 proposed by the United Nations. The World Tourism Organization links tourism to the 17 objectives of sustainable development (WTO, 2016 ).

The sustainable development of tourism consists of making optimal use of the environmental resources that are a fundamental element of tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural resources and biological diversity (WTO, 2014 ). This concept is developed through five strategic axes: collaborative governance, sustainable growth, tourism space, companies and people, product, marketing and tourism intelligence, and competitive transformation (MINCOTUR, 2019b ).

The competitive transformation of tourism is linked to the concept of Intelligent Tourism Systems (SIT) for the promotion of Intelligent Tourist Destinations (SEGITTUR, 2015 ) and the concept of Tourism 4.0. Tourism 4.0 is a term that has been mentioned since 2017 to refer to tourism that encourages technological changes in tourism. These changes in the tourism industry range from the digitization of establishments using the Internet to offer a service to everything related to interactions through mobile devices such as maps, GPS, information about shops, restaurants, etc. (Zupan, 2019 ). Examples of these strategies have been developed in Palma de Mallorca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Badajoz and the island of El Hierro, considered the first smart island in the world. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria stands out with the implementation of the first model to promote shopping tourism in the city through multilingual mobile technology (SEGITTUR, 2015 ). In this context, different strategic questions arise regarding the socio-economic impact of shopping tourism that influence local and sustainable development (Jin et al., 2017 ).

Outstanding as local development strategies are “Town Centre Management” focused on downtown management models (Coca-Stefaniak et al., 2009 ) and the Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) used to revitalize the urban centers of British cities such as Birmingham, Plymouth and for the promotion of Tourist Shopping Villages (TSV) (Getz, 1993 ; Murphy et al., 2011a , b ). According to the World Tourism Organization, cities as shopping destinations must take into account accessibility, available infrastructure, security, cleanliness, attractive location, destination marketing and promotion, connection with the tourism value chain, research and development, regulation and adequate training and education (WTO, 2014 ).

All these strategies condition the choice of tourist destination, so a collaboration is necessary between all the businessmen agents (commercial companies, transport, accommodation), tourism promoters and local institutions. In this sense, the joint participation of all agents to position Spain, or certain cities, as a destination for shopping tourism is very important.

Tourism is an increasingly attractive alternative for improving local commercial activity and, at the same time, retail trade can be an active potential for the city to differentiate itself as a chosen destination (Tourspain, 2015 ). With proper planning, tourism can be a part of the solution to cities' economic problems by helping to avoid closing businesses in cities that accelerate city depopulation problems and cause economic losses for families' economies. For this reason, the concept of tourist purchases (WTO, 2014 ; Tourspain, 2015 ), gains importance and is defined as an activity in which tourists buy goods during their trip (Jin et al., 2017 ).

In order for cities to take advantage of the synergies between tourism and trade, it is necessary to analyze the different local development strategies that can be implemented such as: “Town Centre Management” (Coca-Stefaniak et al., 2009 ), the Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and the “Tourist Shopping Villages” (TSV) (Getz, 1993 ; Murphy et al., 2011a , b ); and all the variables that cities must have in mind to differentiate themselves as destinations (WTO, 2014 ; SEGITTUR, 2015 ).

Given all the variables necessary to promote a city as a tourist shopping destination, it is necessary to establish joint strategies with the participation of all local agents, such as traders and their associations, and local institutions to establish strategies to position cities internationally as a tourist shopping destination, relating to the commercial management of retail establishments in Spain and aimed at promoting quality and sustainable shopping tourism, as one of the strategic lines to boost the competitiveness of the sector (SEGITTUR, 2015 ; Tourspain, 2015 ; MINECO, 2017 ; MINCOTUR, 2019b ).

Author Contributions

AM-R, IP-J, and JS-A contributed conception of the opinion article. AM-R wrote the first draft of the manuscript. IP-J and JS-A performed the state of the art and the conceptual framework. All authors contributed to manuscript revision, read and approved the submitted version.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Funding. This work was financed with group grants from the University of Castilla-La Mancha. Co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. Group: Observatory of Innovation in Commercial Distribution (OIDC). And the copy-editión and revision of the translation has been financed with the collaboration of the contract-program of the Faculty of Judicial and Social Sciences of Toledo.

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Shopping in China - Things to Buy and How to Buy Them

Most travelers want to take home some bargains or mementos. With so many options available, shopping can be time consuming, confusing, and exhausting. The following tips may make it easier for you.

Don't buy everything in the first day or two. Each city has its own specialty. Some of the best buys are:

• Beijing : cloisonné; fresh water pearls
• Shanghai : silk carpets, qipaos
• Hangzhou : Longjing tea, silk
• Suzhou : silk
• Guilin : scroll paintings, South China Sea pearls
• Tibet : thangka (tanka: sheep skin wall hangings)
• Xi'an : replicas of the Terracotta Warriors , Tang Dynasty hand painted china, antique furniture
• Yunnan : mounted butterflies, Pu'er tea; Dali batik (tie-dyed fabric)
• Xinjiang : carpets, jade articles (for which please see our warnings below), dried fruit
• Guangzhou : wholesale markets for clothes, shoes, toys, electronic products and more.

Not all souvenirs can be bought all over China, e.g. panda goods are mainly only available in Chengdu where most of the pandas are. So don't get caught out, if you like it, buy it when you first see it.

(If you miss your chance, we can help our customers to purchase souvenirs and have them shipped home to your address. See China Post - How to Mail Your Big Buys Home .)

What Is Worth Buying in China (Instead of Back Home)

The top 10 souvenirs for a first-time traveler to china.

• 1. Art - papercuttings, paintings, photos, postcards. scrolls, finger/knuckle paintings
• 2. Rice writing - your name on a grain of rice
• 3. Painted snuff bottles
• 5. Pretty umbrellas for rain or sun.
• 6. Mahjong tile set
• 7. Panda paraphernalia
• 8. Silk - nighties, material/embroidery
• 9. Anything from 10 Yuan Land or 33 Yuan Land in Beijing or Shanghai, i.e. Chinese games or other bargains

See our article for a more detailed top 10 souvenirs list .

Glasses and Contacts

Glasses and contacts are much cheaper in China, so it can be worth stocking up while here, especially if you like to have a bunch of different stylish glasses designs. Glasses at opticians throughout the city tend to be of decent quality, but do not expect the brands to be real. A pair of (non-branded) glasses will set you back between 200 and 400 yuan depending on quality, lens strength, and your bargaining skills. In Beijing, there is a special glasses market near Panjiayuan antiques market . The biggest one in Shanghai is located near the railway station.

• Beijing Glasses City , 43 Huawei Beili, Panjiayuan, Dongsanhuan Nanlu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
• Shanghai 3 Ye Optical Glasses Market , Shanghai Train Plaza South Square, 4-5F, 360 Meiyuan Lu, Zhabei District, Shanghai

Accessories and Jewellery

China is the perfect place to pick up accessories and jewellery, and there is absolutely no shortage of places to do so. Most markets and tourist attractions will have shops selling everything from bracelets and necklaces to rings and jade accessories and jewellery. It is very important to remember that most trinkets picked up in tourist markets or at tourist sights will not be real silver or jade, and the quality will not be incredibly high. However, if you bargain hard it'll be worth it.

Tailoring and Clothes

Tailors and clothes are extremely cheap in China, but make sure you know what you are getting yourself into.

Only get clothes made if you know what fabric you want, and have either an example of what you want copied, or have a solid idea in your head that you can draw out. If you want silk clothes, check out this article first on how to tell if silk is good quality . Many people choose to have their prom dress, or a ball gown, made while in China because it is so much cheaper than having a dress tailor-made at home. This is an especially good souvenir if you go for a Chinese-style qipao dress. Let us know if you want to have something tailored and we can help arrange this for you.

• Buying traditional clothes in China - All You Need to Know
• Where to Buy or Tailor Make a Elegant Qipao in Shanghai
• Top Places to Buy or Tailor Make Your Qipao in Beijing

Leather Goods

Leather goods can also be good value in China. Many of the markets sell leather bags and belts at prices much cheaper than back home. For leather hand bags, bought at a market stall, expect to pay between 200-500 yuan, and belts go for between 100 and 200. To check whether or not the leather is real, many vendors will instantly use a lighter to demonstrate how their bags,wallets, and belts do not melt when exposed to the flame. Make sure that you get that specific bag, and not a new one pre-packaged that may be of a different quality. Also check all zippers to make sure they work. In Beijing and Shanghai, the big markets will have plenty of products to choose from. In Guangzhou, try Sanyuanli Leather market,

• Beijing Silk Street Market
• Shanghai's Shopping
• Guangzhou 78 Sanyuanli Dadao, Baiyun District, Guangzhou

Shopping Is Not Obligatory

Don't feel obligated to shop. Our guides offer shopping opportunities as a courtesy, but if you're not interested, you will not get any pressure at all from us.

Other tour guides and sellers may be quite enthusiastic, thinking this is what you want, so don't be embarrassed to tell them directly and immediately that you don't want to go shopping. You'll often find several attendants trying to help you make a purchase. This doesn't mean you have to buy; it's OK to say no, or just to look around.

Outside tourist spots or on the road, there might be some vendors who follow you and try to sell you something. If you are not interested, just ignore them and keep going.

See Avoiding Tourist Traps .

Be Cautious of Fake Items

Shopping is great in China and you can expect to be able to buy many things at a much better price that at home. Please however be warned that if a bargain price for a world famous brand seems too good to be true... it probably is!

Brand Names

At the same time, beware of famous brand items which are selling at a more reasonable price. Needless to say, sellers have caught on to the fact that a price set too low is suspicious, so some have taken to upping their prices accordingly.

Given that genuine designer goods tend to be more expensive in China than elsewhere, it is best to leave such purchases for your return home.

Antiques and Jade, etc.

Antique buyers should know that many experts have been disappointed to find that their find of a lifetime is beautiful but fake. Antiques should be officially certified to be exported legally. The penalties are severe. Keep all receipts, certificates and official documents that are received when you purchase any antiques. Antiques are those items over 120 years of age.

When buying jade, also be wary. Unless you are something of an expert, it is best not to trust high-ticket jade items.

Please also be aware of piracy . This is so endemic in China that it is difficult to make official purchases of such items as DVDs and CDs. Consequently, these are to be avoided given that they will cause difficulties with customs upon your return home.

The same applies to computer software . Installation disks may be tempting if you have your laptop with you and decide to dispose of the disks themselves before returning home, but the fact a copy of Microsoft Windows , for example, is pirated will be detectable during the updating procedure, and may lead to reduced functionality. In addition to this, viruses are common on pirated software disks in China.

Piracy extends far beyond these more obvious items. Books, designer-label clothing and accessories, famous-name watches, and a host of other items will be available to you at ridiculously low prices. These are, of course, also pirated, so beware bargains, particularly those set at ridiculously low prices.

Though reputable-looking department stores may seem good places for reputable goods, they are still no guarantee. Your best guard against piracy is common sense. Given that piracy is rife, those things which are readily copied, or which are branded so as to make them worth the effort of copying, are probably best avoided altogether in China.

More Reasons to be Wary

Import restrictions.

You should check the import restrictions in your home country as some items may attract tax upon your return, especially if mailed or shipped separately.

Excess baggage

It may seem obvious, but it is always worth reminding yourself that you will have a restricted luggage allowance for your return flight.

Electronic items

Remember to check for voltage differences. Provided your home country's voltages are the same as those in China, then you should be fine. If not, you may find your electronic goods to be unworkable upon your return home. However, there is still the question of whether or not you will be able to plug it in. Chinese sockets are not universal so again, please check before making any purchase. See China Power Supply and Adapters for more information. Once again, be aware of the possibility of import duties imposed upon the goods you buy in China.

Electronic goods are, in any case, often more expensive in China than elsewhere, and should you find bargains then again, be suspicious. Always be sure to check any electronic goods you buy before leaving the shop. Ask for a demonstration. Also be sure to package such goods securely for the return journey.

Mobile phones and comparable devices

These are best not bought in China. Android phones in particular will not be able to connect with Google Play , necessitating the use of third-party app providers which may prove risky. However, other devices may, too, be adapted to the Chinese market in terms of restricted usage and various additional apps and hidden programs you would rather not have on your phone. These can be difficult to remove, and any effort you make to do so may lead to the device becoming unusable.

Unless you know what you are buying, it is best to stick with low-ticket items when purchasing jade. That which is presented to you as high-quality may be a low-quality stone, or even entirely fake. Cheap baubles abound and may be readily purchased, but some cheap baubles come with a price tag well beyond their value.

Regular batteries are readily available and generally reliable. However, product-specific batteries such as those for cameras, portable computers, mobile phones etc. may be unreliable. These have been known to malfunction catastrophically, even dangerously. Such batteries are best purchased from clearly reliable outlets, and even then it is best to stick with brand suppliers rather than go for cheap imitations which, at best, are likely to rapidly degrade with successive recharging.

Children's toys

These do not always meet the safety standards you would expect back home. Please be exceptionally careful when purchasing such items, particularly as gifts for younger children.

Sadly, medicines may also be faked. Should you require medicines, please be certain to purchase them from large and clearly reputable outlets. Fatalities resulting from the purchase of fake medicines in China have been known .

When buying food as gifts to take home, be aware you may face import restrictions in your home country. Once again, check the regulations before you go. Such items are usually reliable when purchased from a reputable department store, but those from smaller outlets may be best avoided. Remember to check for any sell-by dates, and do not purchase goods which require refrigeration and may begin to spoil on your return journey.

Factory rejects

These tend to find their way out of the manufacturers' bins and into the marketplace. Sometimes it may be that it is nothing more than an item of clothing with less-than perfect stitching on an inner seam, and you've got yourself a bargain. However, it may also be that a USB stick is being sold at a very low price by a street-side stallholder because it simply doesn't work. Inspect such bargains carefully, and consider the nature of the goods you are buying. If it is an item you are unable to check out fully before handing over your money, then that may be money you are simply throwing away.

Safety first!

Being ripped off may be galling, but it is a transient irritation. Your health, however, and the health of those to whom you may present gifts from your travels upon your return home, is of paramount importance. In any purchase you make, be aware of the health and safety implications for yourself and for the recipient of your purchase. Health and safety regulations are not as punctiliously observed in China as in some other countries, and goods sold locally often fail to meet the standards required of those manufactured for export.

Smart Shopping - How to Bargain in China

Bargaining is a national pastime in China so you will find that most retailers except for department stores, large shopping malls will be prepared to bargain. Prepare some small change for buying inexpensive stuff. Vendors are usually reluctant to find change for a 100 yuan note.

There's lots of shopping to do in the capital city (and other places in China), but it's important to be prepared by understanding how find the best prices for the goods you want. Aside from knowing where to go and what to shop for, make sure your bargaining skills are up to snuff, or you may end up paying far more than you should have.

Bargaining Tips

Regardless of the market you go to, here are some tips to help you get the best price on all your goods.

Bring your poker face

Rule number one of bargaining: never (ever!) act like you absolutely must have the item. Salesmen love customers that are excited about a product – it means they can price it much higher. Play it cool – if you see something you really want, keep a straight face and act like you'd rather walk away than pay a fortune, and you'll get a much better price.

Really low. Depending on the market, the starting price could be 7 or 8 times what it should be. Keep this in mind when you throw out your first price. You can always go up from there, but you can't go back down.

Shop around

See something you like? Walk around and see if other stands have it. That way, if you can't get the price you want, you can always walk away and try a different stand.

Observe other people. If someone else is buying the same thing for a reasonable price, tell the seller you want the same price. Sometimes you can avoid the back-and-forth routine altogether!

Be firm, but stay polite

Don't underestimate the importance of allowing the seller to save face. Sometimes, negotiations do not go the way you planned. Especially in larger clothing markets, sellers may act outraged by a low price, but keep your cool. Often if you say something insulting, or even quote a price that is ridiculously low, the seller may decide not to sell to you at all.

Come back for more

If you know what you want, and you've gotten a certain price from that stand before, sometimes you can save time by just assertively saying that price from the get-go. They see that you know, and they want to save their time too. You can also get a better deal when you buy multiple things from the same seller.

The "nasty husband" trick

A good one for couples who fancy trying out their acting skills. Gentlemen. You are the irritated husband who is tired of his wife spending all his hard-earned money. Ladies. You are the long-suffering wife who has to argue for every cent your husband spends on you. If the seller believes he has to convince the man who doesn't even want to make a purchase, the price should plummet.

Customer Lynne Buddin's Bargaining Experience:

Haggling is hard work. Guide books say to offer ¼ what was asked, so prices went up; they now start at 10 times what they actually want. This doesn't work for me because if they start at a ridiculous price, I just walk out.

One time we did persevere was for a nice scene of the Li River, an artist's scroll. At 1,680 Yuan/£168, even if Chairman Mao himself had painted it, I wasn't paying that price! Negotiating went on for ages; we ended up paying 4% of the original price.

You can't however haggle in named stores like Nike or Adidas . You will offend the staff, as the price is the price. Also beware, one mistake we made, we thought we had a bargain pair of trainers; the 49 yuan sign was 49% off, not 49 yuan. Not such a bargain as we thought, but it made the sales assistant laugh when she realised.

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What is fashion tourism?

Fashion tourism is a niche segment of the market that mixes creative, cultural and shopping tourism all together. It can be defined as the interaction between trade associations, tourism suppliers and host communities.

How does fashion tourism work?

Fashion Weeks are the starting point for many destination marketing organizations to take fashion as a new anchor for their tourism industry and the general economy of a country. By constantly pushing fashion week trade events into the public eye, awareness about the location’s fashionable credentials is raised and that encourages visitors to consider traveling to that specific location.

Who are the prime-movers?

The global “Big Four” fashion capitals: Paris, London, Milan, New York.. oh, New York! Back in 1943, the first-ever fashion week was held in The Big Apple. It’s main reason was to give buyers alternatives to French fashion during World War II, when the borders were closed and people were not able to travel to Paris.

Is shopping a real tourism motivator?

When traveling, visitors are increasingly considering shopping to be a way to experience local culture through an engagement with local products. There is a trend within shopping tourism for consumers from emerging markets to plan their trips according to where high-end fashion brands are cheapest. This is less about “the chic” of buying from the point of origin and more about the economic interest of each individual.

Table of Contents

How much influence does the fashion industry have on tourism?

The importance of fashion tourism cannot be under-estimated for sure. Every passing year it seems like shopping cities are making it to the top preferred holiday destinations. Individual luxury fashion brands also play a major part in a city’s marketing on fashion tourism . Cultural tourism is the subset of fashion tourism concerned on a country’s culture. Specifically, the lifestyle of the inhabitants is the experience that tourists want to live.

Now that we understood how fashion tourism works it is time to find out our top 5 fashion-related touristical destinations that are safely accessible during summer 2021 and can offer you a fresh perspective on style.

The Reasons for the Rise of Fashion Tourism

Fashion is undoubtedly the most influential phenomenon of this generation. The current generation makes their rebellion, their ideas, and their thoughts all known through the style that they embrace. Thus, when the fashion sensibilities of a particular country match their own, people are naturally drawn towards to explore more of the options.

In spite of the world going global, there is also the fact that not everything is available everywhere yet. There are certain items and even designer labels that are not accessible beyond the boundaries of particular countries. Naturally, fashion enthusiasts are attracted towards such location to fill up on their quota of fashion and also have some sightseeing on the sides.

The Constituents of Fashion Tourism

The modern tourist is no longer only attracted by the sands and seas of the typical tourism packages. The destinations worldwide understand this shift and are thus modifying their approach to draw in more tourists to their land. One of the evidence of that modified approach lies in the rising trend of shopping festivals around the world. Shopping festivals in places like Dubai, Hong Kong, and more attract tourists from all over the globe. The aim of these shopping festivals is to foster economic growth by providing high-quality services and products based mostly on the respective cultures.

To understand this component of fashion tourism , you can take a look at the very famous Hong Kong shopping festival that takes place in the month of June and August. This festival, marketed as ‘east meets west,’ makes fashion lovers of the world travel to the oriental city. Dubai shopping festival, starting on February 15, 1996, is one the trendsetters in this matter.

Shopping is one of the major activities of interest for tourists on leisure trips. The destinations are aware of this fact and to that end provide special shopping packages for tourists. There are groups of tourists for whom shopping is the main agenda and for the other group shopping for souvenirs is just a part of the trip. The shopping packages are made to cater to the needs of both of these groups of travelers.

The Top Destinations for Fashion Tourism

With their amazing array of designer clothes, bags, and watches, some destinations definitely have the edge over the others. When you think of fashion and the destinations you long to reach to get your hands on the latest trends, these are the places that you think of.

Paris, France

Paris has firmly cemented its place at the fashion capital of the world since 17th Century. The haute couture that you get in the city is coveted by the fashionistas around the world. There are several fun fashion workshops held around the city year round. Also, this is the home to some of the leading fashion houses like Yves Saint Laurent, Celine, Dior, Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and more. The Paris Fashion Week organized every year in the month of May is the place to be if you love high fashion .

New York, United States of America

When it comes to fashion , New York is the place where innovative ideas are showcased, uniqueness is celebrated, and trends are set and broken. The city’s fashion scene can be gauged from the fact that it has a fashion walk of fame with plaques laid on the names of 24 top designers of the world. The Prada Flagship store here is nothing short of a museum spanning 25,000-square-foot of an area. The Point is another location in the West Village area that lets you be the fashion designer and create your own designs.

Sydney, Australia

The most famous event of the city is the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival which is organized to showcase the Spring-summer collection of the leading brands of Australia. The festival is mainly celebrated at the Sydney Town Hall with events across the city. The Strand Arcade and Queen Victoria Building are the two must-visit shopping destinations of the city. If accessories top your shopping list, head to the Australian Opals. The options are numerous, and so is the number of tourists drawn for it.

Now that you know everything about this phenomenon of Fashion Tourism go ahead and be a part of it for your next holiday.

Knock Fashion

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What is a tourist? Tourist definition

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

What is a tourist? How you define the term tourist? Is there a widely accepted tourist definition?

When we are and are not tourists is not always clear. Am I a tourist when I travel one hour on the train to London for the afternoon? Am I a tourist when I stay with my Grandma in Scotland for a week? The problem is, that there is no clear answer to these questions.

In this article I will attempt to answer the question ‘what is a tourist’ by providing you with some definitions of the term tourism, alongside some thought-provoking connotations.

What is tourism?

What is a tourist, am i a tourist or a traveller, tourist definition, what is a tourist to conclude.

If we want to understand what a tourist is, first we need to fully comprehend the concept of tourism.

As I explain in my article discussing the definitions of tourism , tourism is a term that has no universally accepted definition. Tourism is the generic term used to cover both demand and supply that has been adopted in a variety of forms and used throughout the world. 

Tourism essentially refers to the activities undertaken by visitors, also known as the visitor economy. The tourism industry encompasses all activity that takes place within the visitor economy. 

This includes activities that are directly related to the tourist, such as staying in a hotel, ordering a meal or visiting a tourist attraction. It also includes indirect activities, such as the transport company which delivers the food to the restaurant in which the tourist eats or the laundry company that has a contract with the hotel for cleaning bed sheets. 

It is largely due to the indirect contributions to tourism, that defining and measuring the tourism industry is so difficult!

Tourism comes in many different shapes and sizes and there are many different types of tourism . There is mass tourism , niche tourism and special interest tourism. There is domestic tourism and international tourism . There is inbound tourism and outbound tourism .

A tourist is a product of tourism. Tourists are the people who take part in tourist activities. Tourists are important stakeholders of tourism .

There are many factors that the average person associates with a tourist. I have listed a few of these below:

• lying on a beach
• drinking cocktails/beer/alcohol
• visiting major tourist attractions
• staying in a hotel
• visiting a place with a different climate
• packing a suitcase
• flying on an aeroplane
• getting a suntan

The United Nations prescribes that tourists need to stay away from their home environment for more than one night but less than one year in order to qualify as a tourist. This is the criteria that is often used and cited within the academic literature. But in reality, this is not a universal criterion at all.

In fact, it is actually somewhat problematic that there is no universal criteria for what constitutes a tourist. Lets look at an example. In 2020 tourism was all but decimated around the world due to the COVID pandemic. During the height of the pandemic in Europe and much of the rest of the world, China began to make claims that their domestic tourism industry was once again booming.

OK great. But the important question here is- what is a tourist? How did/do China, and other countries around the world, measure tourist numbers?

Is the person who lives in Shanghai a tourist when they go to The Bund for the afternoon? Are they a tourist when they take a day trip to Hangzhou? Are they a tourist when they go to stay with their aunty in Sanya ?

This is not by any means a Chinese issue. This is a global issue. How can we compare tourism numbers between two or more countries unless we have hard and fast rules about what is or isn’t a tourist? It makes no sense to me at all…

The issue is that there is no clear rule about who is a tourist and who is not a tourist. Yes, there are academic debates discussing tourist typologies (e.g. Leiper , Cohen, Urry, Uriely, Wickens), but these don’t answer the basic underlying question of who is a tourist.

Whilst he also doesn’t provide any definitive answers to this problem, McCabe’s paper offers a critical review of what is a tourist, underpinned by sociological debates and concepts. I want to keep it simple in this article, but if you want to take a more in-depth look, I recommend his paper. You can read the paper here .

In recent years there seems to be an absurd trend that has grown, where tourists have developed a bad reputation. Tourists are portrayed as second-class citizens. Tourists are lazy. Tourists are dumb.

And this isn’t limited to the general public, it exists within the academic community too. In the tourism literature, tourists are represented in an overwhelmingly negative light, and often in critical or sociological studies in deference to more ‘superior’ forms of travel- such as backpacking.

The tourist is bad and the traveller is good- that’s what you will read if you Google the question ‘am I a traveller or a tourist’.

Most claims to differentiate between the two state that travellers are good- kinder to the environment, think more, travel slowly (i.e. backpackers), engage in cultural tourism . Whereas tourists are associated negative connotations, such as enclave tourism , economic leakage in tourism , lazing around on the beach, being drunk, taking too many photographs.

In reality, this is all a load of absolute rubbish. Are these ‘travellers’ staying away from home for a period of time? Yes. Are they visiting areas for leisure or business? Yes. Are they visiting tourist attractions? Yes.

So the reality is that these self-acclaimed ‘travellers’ are in reality- tourists.

What I suggest has happened here is that people have attempted to differentiate between different types of tourists , by coining the terms ‘traveller and tourist. But little do they know- the work has already been done, several times….

Within the academic community there have been many differentiations made between types of tourists. From Plog’s allocentric and psychocentric tourist typology to Cohen’s mass tourists, explorers and drifters, alongside many other studies examining tourist behaviours and motivations, clear differentiations between types of tourists have been made.

However, these typologies are not mainstream knowledge and outside of academia, most people will never have heard of this research. As such, the tourists themselves have taken it upon themselves to develop their own basic typology. The problem, however, is that they haven’t got it quite right- because in reality both classifications are indeed tourists.

In response to the evident desire to differentiate between tourist types, I would like to propose that we re-name these classifications. Instead of the term traveller, we could use explorer and instead of the term tourist, we use holidaymaker. This way, we can acknowledge that both types of people are tourists, but they are not tourists in the same way.

It is evident that the definition of a tourist is unclear. This makes comparability and accurate measurement of the scale of the tourism industry difficult. Whilst there is an urgent call for a universal definition to be developed and utilised, I doubt this will happen any time soon, at least not on a global scale.

Until there is a universally accepted definition of a tourist, I will propose my own tourist definition as follows:

‘A tourist is a person who travels away from where they live to partake in leisure or business [tourism] activities for a specified period of time. Types of tourists vary and tourists can sit anywhere along the spectrum between allocentric explorers and mass organised holidaymakers.’

We are all tourists at some time or another. Whether we take a trip to the seaside in our own country or whether we travel to the other side of the world to be volunteer tourists , there are many different types of tourism and many different types of tourists.

Do you have anything to add on the tourist definition debate? Please leave your remarks below!

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I'm a Notorious Overpacker, but These 12 Space-saving Hacks Help Me Fit Everything in a Carry-on

These travel organizers changed the way I pack — and they start at $9.

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Travel + Leisure / Tyler Roeland

Life is full of challenges that call for us to rise to the occasion, but for me there’s nothing quite like that “ Can I fit all of this in a carry-on bag ? ” conundrum to really get my problem solving skills going. Over the years, I’ve managed to pack a large amount of items into a carry-on bag, and it’s a badge of honor I wear proudly. 

To be fair, achieving this is much easier when packing for warmer climates that call for less bulky clothing, but there are still ways to bring along your favorite cardigan and snow boots. On a recent ski trip to Vail, Colorado, for example, I wore my trusty snow boots and ski jacket on the plane instead of packing them to free up space in my luggage. Next up, I’m currently packing for a two-week trip through Italy, finally fulfilling my bucket list dream to visit T+L reader favorite The St. Regis Venice , the majestic Leading Hotels of the World Grand Hotel Fasano on Lake Garda, and R Collection’s Grand Hotel Victoria on Lake Como. Naturally, hotels with the word grand in them, require fab outfits to match the mood. This is where good packing cubes can make magic happen, and I’m proud to share that I’ve already fit at least eight of my favorite dresses into one cube for my Italian jaunt. 

Are you team fold or roll? Do you tuck your socks into shoes and sit on your suitcase, praying that the zipper will be merciful? If so, it may be time to consider a different approach. With effective products (and a strong will), you too can forget the stress of checking a bag and wondering if it will arrive in time. From space-saving packing cubes to a compression garment bag , these are some of the products I rely on to remain #TeamCarryOn.

Packing Cubes

One of my biggest travel regrets is that I didn’t give into packing cubes sooner. The hours spent debating whether to fold or roll, leave a favorite item behind, or simply be able to close my luggage due to space has cost me hours of time. For me, these Calpak 5-piece Packing Cube Set packing cubes have truly delivered the solution with a set of four packing cubes and a water-resistant pouch for storage. The top portion is a breathable mesh that makes it easy to identify what you’ve packed without having to open anything to sort through it, and you can even label each cube based on attire. Alternatively, this Bagail 8-piece Packing Cube Set over at Amazon has even more cubes at just a fraction of the cost. It has more than 22,000 five-star ratings and includes a laundry pouch and shoe bag. If you’re traveling with little ones, State Bags makes kid-friendly packing cubes with handles .

Hanging Toiletry Bag

This squishable, waterproof Calpak Toiletry Bag has a durable, lightweight polyester material that makes it easy to lay items on top of while packing. At the same time, it’s still large enough to store makeup products, with a few pockets to stash those random beauty and toiletry items that you may be scrambling to find a spot for in the final hour of packing. As a bonus, it comes in a range of bright colors like bubblegum that are just plain fun and an instant mood booster. Amazon offers a durable alternative with this Nishel Toiletry Bag for $19. Transparent pockets and a soft exterior that allows it to lie flat are just a few of its perks.

Roll Packing Organizer

The Osprey Ultralight Roll Packing Organizer , another hanging kit, is a helpful accessory if you’re looking to keep anything from your toiletries to a first-aid kit in one location. It’s rollable too, allowing for more space in your carry-on bag. The organizational pockets are large enough to store random knick knacks during last-minute packing, and a hanging clip loop makes it easy to find a home for it wherever you’re checking in during travel. 

Foldable Tote Bag

What’s the perfect complement to carry-on luggage? A spacious purse for all of the items that didn’t fit in your larger bag — but one that you can easily pack away in your luggage when not in use. My State Graham Shopper accomplishes all of this and more, with a lightweight, smooth recycled fabric that helps me breeze through airports without being weighed down. Best of all, it’s so large that I’m able to fit my laptop, makeup bag, and even a packing cube with clothing. The State bag is currently on sale, but if you’re looking for an even more affordable option, Amazon has got you covered with this ETidy Foldable Tote Bag , currently on sale for $18. The 2-in-1 design allows the larger tote to be folded into a smaller bag, making it convenient to carry and save space.  

Tech Organizer Case

Tangled cords and bulky chargers, be gone. My go-to, the sleek The Tech Case by Away , offers compartments to efficiently store your chargers in two different sizes. I can easily store travel adapters, earbuds, and random chargers in its sectioned compartments. On Amazon, FYY makes a handy, water-resistant tech organizer case that comes in a number of colors for $10.

Travel Shoe Bag

Say goodbye to trying to contort your shoes between clothes with this waterproof shoe organizer from Hezelf. The bag can carry up to three pairs of shoes and includes a handle to carry it. I also opt to pack foldable shoes whenever I can, with my favorite slides and foldable flats from Vivaia , or, check out these similar foldable shoes from Amazon for $22. 

Pill Organizer

I used to make the mistake of choosing which vitamins to pack based on the size of the bottle. It was a simple fix problem, and this 3-pack pill organizer from Meacolia was the answer. A double lock ensures that pills don’t fall out in your bag, and two of its eight compartments can house larger pills. It’s currently on sale on Amazon for $9, so grab it while you can. 

Lightweight Travel Neck Pillow

A travel pillow can make long flights much more comfortable, but the right one can also save real estate in a bag. To maximize carry-on space, take a look at this genius, stuffable travel pillow that can hold up to an extra 3 days’ worth of clothes (without checking a bag). Or, this versatile, lightweight neck pillow from Trtl is much less bulky than your average option but still provides support by keeping your neck upright while padding it. The super soft fleece material and cushioning provide ultimate comfort, and it can be attached to your luggage. Plus, it’s machine washable, making it easy to clean between trips, too.

Wrinkle-free Compression Travel Garment Bag

I avoid having to make the call to reception for an iron with this wrinkle-free compression garment bag from Eagle Creek. Currently on sale on Amazon for $30, this clothes organizer can hold up to 12 items with compression wings to keep everything tightly secured. Packing folders allow you to lay ironed clothing in stacks, preventing wrinkles during transit. 

Leakproof Toiletry Bottles

Though travel-size toiletry holders are not exactly new, this set from Dot&Dot is a favorite because of its leakproof build. The squeezable silicone also makes my favorite conditioners and lotions easy to get out. The 3-ounce silicon bottles are BPA-free and easy to clean with a wide mouth opening. A range of colors help differentiate between liquids. 

Collapsible Travel To-go Cup

If you never leave home without your refillable cup, consider this collapsible option from Stojo that even comes with a straw. For travelers on the go, shrinking the cup to just two inches can save space in your bag for other items. Separable parts include a heat sleeve, lid, collar, tab, straw, and cup. Best of all, it's made from platinum food-grade silicone, meaning no BPAs or lead. 

Laundry Detergent Sheets

Part of what makes believing in the power of carry-on packing only for longer trips difficult is the challenge of having clean clothes. Fortunately, these detergent sheets from Kind Laundry will allow you to revisit outfits instead of packing more, as well as avoid steep hotel dry cleaning fees. Free of parabens and harsh chemicals, the plant-powered sheets are easy to tuck into carry-ons and stay fresh while traveling. 

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We Found the Most Comfortable Travel Clothing for Your Next Flight, Cruise, and Long Car Ride — and Prices Start at $11

Including customer-loved sneakers and soft overalls

Summer — a.k.a the best travel season — is around the corner. Finding comfortable travel clothing is a must, whether you’re heading out on a road trip, doing a cross-country train journey, or jetting off somewhere fabulous.

The key to staying comfortable when traveling? Loose fits, elastic waists, layers, and breathable fabrics. While that may sound like a recipe for fashion boredom, we guarantee you that Amazon’s selection of travel clothing is anything but. Below, you’ll find an editor-approved assortment of leggings, dresses, two-piece sets, overalls, sneakers, and more — all for under $45.

Best Amazon Travel Clothing Under $45

• Yesno Loose Overalls , $26.39 with coupon (orig. $32.99)
• Prettygarden Two-Piece Jogger Set , $31.19 (orig. $38.99)
• Fullsoft High-Waisted Leggings , $11.33 with coupon (orig. $12.59)
• Chouyatou Elastic Gingham Palazzo Pants , $22.90
• Abboos Lightweight Sneakers , $32.29 with coupon (orig. $37.99)
• Adidas Zip-Up Hoodie, $42 (orig. $49.18)
• Libin Lightweight Athletic Joggers , $34.98
• Athlisan Knit Two-Piece Set , $32.99
• Merokeety Patterned Midi Skirt , $35.14 with coupon (orig. $36.99)
• Hugoome Oversized Crop Top T-Shirt , $19.99
• Hanes Seamless T-Shirt Bra , $12.64

Yesno Loose Overalls, $26 with coupon (Save 20%)

If you’re looking for something casual that goes beyond basics, check out these loose-fitting, 100 percent cotton overalls. We love how universal these are — with adjustable waist and shoulder straps, you’re pretty much guaranteed a comfortable fit customized to your body. Available in sizes S–3X, the overalls also come in 10 colors, including dark green and royal purple . 

One reviewer called these overalls “the perfect travel piece.” They wrote, “This piece went on a trip and was worn with various tops,” then added: “It’s comfortable, made of good material, and felt great during a walking tour.” 

Prettygarden Two-Piece Jogger Set, $31 (Save 20%)

Over 5,000 people agree that this two-piece set deserves five stars, and it’s easy to see why: It has a loose fit, affordable price point, and plenty of color options. With a roomy crewneck tee and pants outfitted with an elastic waist, this set is plenty comfortable enough to be worn on a plane. Plus, you can use the separates to add to outfit options on your trip.

One five-star reviewer explained :  “One of the standout features of this set is its lightweight design, which makes it perfect for traveling. I recently wore it on a long flight, and I couldn't have been more pleased with how comfortable and stylish it kept me throughout the journey.” They continued, writing, “The breathable fabric kept me feeling cool and relaxed, while the relaxed fit allowed for unrestricted movement — a must for those long hours on an airplane.”

Fullsoft High-Waisted Leggings, $11 (Save 26%)

Not only are these $11 leggings super soft, but they also are designed with a handy pocket large enough to hold keys or a phone. They’re extra stretchy, giving you optimal comfort during long journeys. Shoppers also love that the high waist actually stays up, while others appreciate that they’re not see-through. Best of all, there are summer-friendly colors like sage , purple , and light blue .

With over 3,000 Amazon shoppers having picked up a pair this month, it should come as no surprise that the leggings have received nearly 9,000 perfect ratings. One reviewer put it simply : “They will be great for traveling, an active tourist day, or running errands.” 

Be sure to head to Amazon to pick up these comfortable, stylish, and affordable travel clothes before you head on your next trip. 

Chouyatou Elastic Gingham Palazzo Pants, $23

Abboos women’s lightweight sneaker, $32 (save 15%), adidas zip-up hoodie, $42 (save 15%), libin lightweight athletic joggers, $35, athlisan knit two-piece set, $33, merokeety patterned midi skirt, $35 (save 5%), hugoome oversized crop top t-shirt, $20, hanes seamless t-shirt bra, $13, see more from people shopping.

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Score flight and travel deals with matt’s flights, now only $80.

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