When people from outside the U.S. plan vacations here, where do they go? Macy's, of course.
According to a new survey conducted by Mandala Research and underwritten by Macy's and Shop America Alliance in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, consumers from Australia, Brazil, China, India and Korea put the department store on their list of places to visit while here.
The study, which surveyed 2,500 adults from August through October 2010, found foreign vacationers spent an average of $3,517 coming to the U.S. with one-third of that spent on shopping. Fifty-six percent said shopping was a key reason for them choosing the U.S. as a vacation destination.
"We are extremely pleased with the top marks we received in this eye-opening survey of travelers from these emerging and growth markets," said Kristen Esposito, vice-president of Macy's Visitor Services and Tourism, in a statement. "For over two decades our Visitor Services and Tourism programs have targeted overseas travelers with special amenities and discounts including our extremely popular International Savings Card. This survey proves that this outreach has had a major impact on our business and has made Macy's an international shopping destination that provides tourists with great brands, customer service and fantastic value."
Macy's is actively engaged in marketing to foreign consumers. The retailer provides a 10 percent discount on purchases for consumers with documentation such as a foreign passport. The company's Visitor Centers, located in stores in Boston, Buffalo, Houston, New York, Chicago, McAllen (Texas), Las Vegas, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Diego and San Francisco, also provide concierge services such as shopping and language assistance.
The company's www.visitmacysusa.com website offers information for people from other countries planning their shopping trips before leaving home. The company also assists further in trip planning with the Macy's Luxury Hotel Collection, which offers special rates and special offers such as room upgrades as part of the "Macy's Advantages" program.
Discussion Questions: How big an opportunity are foreign visitors for American retailers? Is the Macy's approach something that many others are (or should be) doing?