Tourist’s Tax Free Shopping Spending at Cannes 2025
From cinema to shopping sprees, Global Blue uncovers the high-spenders and Tax Free trends that stole the spotlight at Cannes 2025
The Cannes Film Festival 2025 wasn’t just a showcase of global cinema, it was also a high-stakes stage for luxury retail. According to new data from Global Blue, a small elite of (Ultra) High Net Worth shoppers with an average spending of €160k per shopper, (U)HNWI, delivered nearly half of all Tax Free Shopping spend during the 10-day event, spotlighting Cannes as a prime destination for high-value international tourism.
Ultra-Rich Tourist Drive 50% of Cannes Festival’s Tax Free Shopping Spend
Just 14% of shoppers were responsible for nearly half of all Tax Free spend, a reminder of how powerful UHNWIs are during cultural events like Cannes. These elite consumers averaged an impressive €9,947 per transaction, underscoring their commercial value.
Meanwhile, Affluent shoppers (34% of shoppers) generated 37% of total spend, averaging €3,012 per shopper. The Aspirational segment represented the majority of all visitors (52%) but contributed just 14% of spend, highlighting the importance of tailoring retail strategies to each tier’s true spending power.
Millennials and Gen X Drive VAT Free Shopping at Cannes Film Festival
Millennials led the way in generational spending, making up 41% of shoppers and contributing 40% of overall Tax Free spend, with an average transaction of €2,669.
Close behind, Gen X accounted for 36% of the spend with an even higher average spend of €3,209, despite representing a smaller share of shoppers (31%).
Gen Z shoppers made up 15% of Cannes’ international shopping base, averaging €2,107 per transaction, while the Silver generation (13% of shoppers) matched their presence with 13% of spend, spending an average of €2,750.
Top Nationalities at Cannes Festival: US Drives Volume, GCC Drives Value
American shoppers led in both number of shoppers and spend, making up 29% of total Tax Free shoppers and contributing 31% of total spend. With an average spend of €2,992, the US remains a key origin market for luxury tourism in France.
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) shoppers, though fewer in number (8% of shoppers), represented 18% of total Tax Free spend and spent an average of €5,985 per person.
Visitors from Mainland China contributed 6% of Tax Free spend (7% of shoppers), while shoppers from the United Kingdom and Brazil also played active roles, spending on average €2,134 and €3,772 respectively.
How to Act on These Global Blue Insights
How Luxury Retailers in the South of France Can Capitalize on Cannes Festival Shopper Insights
Major events like the Cannes Film Festival are more than cultural milestones, they are key moments for luxury retailers across the French Riviera, from Cannes to Nice, to engage with high-spending international tourists and offer them Tax Refund Options.
To fully leverage these shopping peaks, businesses need more than just visibility, they need real-time insights, smart shopper segmentation, and data-driven decision-making to optimize the tax refund journey and boost performance.
Global Blue’s Business Intelligence Solutions go beyond surface-level trends. Powered by insights from nearly 80 million international shoppers and enriched with analysis from leading industry partners, our tools offer retailers an unmatched view of the international shopper landscape.
From benchmarking performance against market trends to identifying growth opportunities by nationality, segment, or travel behavior, our insights help you make smarter, faster decisions.
📊 Ready to unlock the full potential of international shoppers? Discover what Global Blue’s Business Intelligence Solutions can do for your business.
Shopper Demographics: (U)HNWI (>20K EUR annual Tax Free Spend), Affluent (3 – 30K EUR), Aspirational (< 3K EUR)
