Latest information shows sales to tourist soared in May
Middle Eastern visitors to the UK were the biggest spending tourist group in May, continuing a trend seen in recent months, according to the latest report from Global Refund.

The month saw a 29 per cent increase in tourist spending against 2005 with Middle Eastern tourists representing 30 per cent of the total.

As the second largest group, Russian tourists were also looking well-heeled, accounting for 13 per cent of the total spent. Global Report states that this is a group that looks set to increase in importance as there have been significant month-on-month rises since March.

Not everything is rosy however. For the first time in three months the US has shown a reduction in the number of transactions by tourists from that country, although the percentage of total sales to Americans rose from April's 8 per cent to 12 per cent in May.