Shopping in MunichThe pedestrian speaks Arabic

Verschleierte Frauen in MaximilianstraßeEnlarge image

Arabs are becoming increasingly important for the retail industry in Munich. 

(Photo: AP)
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  • Foreign and Arab tourists in particular contribute to the four-billion-euro turnover of Munich's pedestrian zone at an increasing share.
  • Russians however remain from that get especially the Nobel Miles felt.
  • Now an app to be developed, can be guided through the customers in shops.
By Katja Riedel
Sometimes cashiers would their Arab clients from themselves and thus protect them from the devil incarnate, explained Eduard Schöwe, a Managing Director of Galeria Kaufhof at Marienplatz in Munich. The devil is in the detail namely, in the alcohol, hidden in candy that wanted to bring friends back home those tourists.
For devout Muslims are the forbidden gift - a cultural faux pas before Schöwe ​​and his staff want to keep the customer at all costs. From 36 countries its Kaufhof employees originate says Schöwe. And he is clearly proud of the cultural competence, with the wish to meet their increasingly international clientele the staff. One of many examples.
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Five of the most traditional retailers in downtown intend to cooperate more closely - and put pressure on the policy.
For those examples are becoming increasingly important for the future of downtown commerce. Not only at Galeria Kaufhof, everywhere in the center of Munich foreign and Arab tourists in particular are becoming increasingly important; they contribute to the four-billion-euro turnover of Munich's pedestrian zone at an increasing share. Increased attention is devoted to them the trade, since customers from Munich and the surrounding area go less frequently in stores, but order more on the Internet. How to buy especially tourists from Arab states in Munich, now a study shows the BBE trading advice.
The trade association Bayern made commissioned and vorgesellt in Munich on Wednesday. For Arab guests are an important economic factor: 367 euros a day spend tourists from Saudi Arabia, Dubai and other countries in Munich - and they stay an average of 12.5 nights. It is significantly more money than they did in 2012, as BBE had guests from these countries interviewed for the first time.And guests also stay longer. From January to the end of September 304,000tourists stayed in Arab Munich - a fifth more than in the same period last year.
But only half as many Russians came as before - a massive slump, get the especially the Nobel Miles felt, in Munich, these are mainly the Theatiner and Maximilianstraße. Armed conflicts, but even more they keep the ruble crisis far;could offset the slump mainly Asians, especially Chinese, the order in Munich prefer branded goods, especially household goods and luggage for the whole family. For the expensive watches and jewelery, to prefer the Russians, there is still no substitute clientele.
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For several months now the shops of Munich companies have plummeted downright with Russian guests. Whether guides, hotels and retailers - throughout the absence of these customers is noticeable.
The Arab Customers of the recent study are mainly for vacation to Munich, although mentioned as main activity shopping. But most enjoy watching them beat not to jewelers and even in the small boutiques of international designers, but they buy their brand of clothing rather in the pedestrian zone. In addition, they are interested in personal hygiene items and shoes. The looking at an average of nine stores. And the count increasingly for mid-priced, much rarer for pure luxury category.
Almost all respondents were planning during your shopping day to visit the Kaufinger- and Neuhauser Strasse. The expensive Maximilianstraße has told the trial three years ago lost its appeal: Only 44 percent of Arab customers were planning to shop there (2012: 70 percent). Where the tourists buy their clothes and perfumes, they research especially on the Internet - even from home, but also during their holiday. 66 percent said that they do in Munich online shopping via smart; 2012 was completely unusual.
For Sebastian Deppe, who is responsible for the study, so that a clear mandate for the city and downtown merchants connected: a common app to develop, will be piloted over the customers in shops. Because want to learn the trade from surveys such as this. Criticized three years ago even one-fifth, that the seller could not help them in English, this problem is now almost eliminated.