“You have to turn the British a tourist who generates much more expense in Spain”

Based on the provided breaking news content, here’s an analysis of why Spain has not taken advantage of the post-Brexit opportunity to attract more British tourists for tax-free shopping:

1. Lack of Awareness and Habit:

   • British tourists are not in the habit of asking for tax-free shopping, even after Brexit. This is due to a lack of information and usual practice.
   • Ainara Andueza, the general director of Global Blue Spain, notes that British tourists do not typically ask for tax-free shopping, which hinders Spain’s ability to attract them for this purpose.

2. Fear of Declaration:

   • There’s a fear among British tourists of having to declare their tax-free purchases, especially when entering countries that charge a tax on these items.
   • This fear can deter British tourists from taking advantage of tax-free shopping in Spain.

3. Type of Tourism:

   • British tourists primarily visit Spain for beach and sun destinations, like the Canary Islands, rather than cultural, gastronomic, or shopping experiences in cities like Madrid or Barcelona.
   • This type of tourism does not generate as much value or spending, as Andueza notes. The average expenditure of British tourists is lower than that of other foreign tourists.

4. Lack of Promotion and Information Campaigns:

   • Spain has not conducted sufficient promotion and information campaigns to attract British tourists for tax-free shopping.
   • Andueza emphasizes the need for such campaigns and for educating local trade about the potential of British tourists as sales opportunities.
5. Exclusion of the Canary Islands:
   • The Canary Islands do not offer tax-free shopping, which is a significant drawback for British tourists visiting these popular beach destinations.

To capitalize on the Brexit opportunity, Spain could:

• Launch targeted marketing campaigns in the UK to inform British tourists about tax-free shopping in Spain.
• Educate local businesses about the potential of British tourists as customers.
• Consider extending tax-free shopping to the Canary Islands to attract more British visitors.
• Promote cultural, gastronomic, and shopping experiences to encourage British tourists to visit cities like Madrid and Barcelona, thereby increasing their spending.