Chinese shoppers are responsible for a third of the world’s luxury sales, according to data by Bain & Co, the consultancy, and many enjoy treating themselves when travelling abroad. But the British luxury industry is missing out – and the UK government is waking up to the problem.
来自贝恩咨询公司(Bain & Co)的数据显示，中国消费者贡献了全球三分之一的奢侈品销售额，而且很多中国人在出国旅游时也喜欢购买奢侈品。但英国奢侈品行业正在错失机遇——而英国政府也开始意识到这一问题。
Bureaucracy is in the way. Chinese visitors to the UK and Europe are obliged to apply for two visas: one to visit 26 countries in Europe – known as a Schengen visa – and a second, separate visa for UK entry.
官僚主义是拦路虎。访问英国和欧洲的中国游客必须申请两个签证：一个是可以游览26个欧洲国家的申根签证(Schengen)，另一个是入境英国所需的单独签证。
Research by the UK China Visa Alliance, a lobby group, found that just 6 per cent of Chinese coming to Europe bother obtaining the additional UK visa. And why would they, when the Schengen offers passage to luxury shopping destinations such as Paris and Milan without extra paperwork?
游说组织英国对华签证联盟(UK China Visa Alliance)进行的一项研究显示，在赴欧洲旅游的中国人当中，只有6%的人费神额外申请了英国签证。既然单凭申根签证就可以去巴黎、米兰等奢侈品购物中心，而无需递交额外的申请文件，他们又有什么理由申请英国签证呢？
The UKCVA says that France attracts almost eight times more Chinese visitors than the UK.
英国对华签证联盟指出，法国吸引到的中国游客数量几乎是英国的8倍。
Nevertheless, when they do make the trip to London’s West End, Chinese shoppers spend an average of £1,688 – three times more than overseas visitors from other countries, according to data from the New West End Company, which represents businesses in the area.
然而，来自伦敦新西区公司(New West End Company)的数据显示，当中国消费者真的前往伦敦西区(West End)游览时，他们人均花费1688英镑——较来自其他国家的外国游客多出了三倍。伦敦新西区公司是这一地区商户的代表。
In 2012, the UK played host to 179,000 Chinese visitors, who spent a total of £300m, according to figures from Visit Britain.
来自英国旅游局(Visit Britain)的数据显示，2012年英国总共接待了17.9万名中国游客，这些游客在英国的消费总额高达3亿英镑。
“Chinese tourism is vital to Brand Britain,” says Mark Henderson, chairman of the London Luxury Quarter, a trade body. UK luxury industry lobbyists are acutely aware they are missing out and are trying to persuade the British government to change the visa system. Their efforts might finally pay off in 2014.
贸易组织奢华伦敦(London Luxury Quarter)的董事长马克•亨德森(Mark Henderson)表示：“中国游客对英国品牌至关重要。”英国奢侈品行业的游说者们敏锐地意识到他们正与中国失之交臂，并试图说服英国政府改变签证制度。他们的努力或许最终在2014年收到成效。
The UKCVA, founded by Walpole British Luxury, the New West End Company, Global Blue, McArthurGlen Designer Outlets and London First, has been working since 2012 to persuade the UK government of the benefits of encouraging Chinese visitors.
英国对华签证联盟是由英国奢侈品协会(Walpole British Luxury)、伦敦新西区公司、环球蓝联(Global Blue)、亚瑟格兰名品奥特莱斯(McArthurGlen Designer Outlets)以及伦敦第一(London First)共同创立的。自2012年以来，英国对华签证联盟就一直在游说英国政府，宣传鼓励中国游客来英国旅游的好处。
Last May, the alliance hosted a reception with Mark Harper, the immigration minister, at which 900 British luxury retail and hospitality businesses were invited to raise their concerns. And in October, it hosted a reception in China for tour operators.
去年5月，英国对华签证联盟与英国移民事务部长马克•哈珀(Mark Harper)共同举办了一场招待会，约有900家英国奢侈品零售商和酒店企业受邀参会，并提出自身担心的问题。去年10月，该联盟在中国举行了旅行社招待会。
A pilot scheme, launched last year, allows Chinese travellers to apply for the Schengen visa and the UK visa at the same time and place. Andrew Murphy, chairman of the UKCVA and retail director of John Lewis, is hopeful the government will roll the scheme out during 2014.
去年启动的一项试行方案允许中国游客在一张表上办理申根签证和英国签证的申请。安德鲁•墨菲(Andrew Murphy)是英国对华签证联盟的董事长，同时担任约翰•路易斯(John Lewis)的零售主管。他希望英国政府能在2014年继续推行这项方案。
“If the visa process were streamlined it could boost the economy by £1.2bn and create 24,000 jobs,” says Mr Murphy. Preliminary findings from the pilot scheme are expected soon.
墨菲指出：“如果能够简化签证流程，英国经济就会增加12亿英镑的收入，并创造2.4万个工作机会。”预计很快就会公布前述试行方案的初步结果。
David Cameron, the UK prime minister, confirmed efforts are under way to set up a permanent “joint shop window” during a visit to China last month.
英国首相戴维•卡梅伦(David Cameron)在上月访华期间证实，英国政府正在努力设立一个永久性的“联合签证窗口”。
The British luxury industry is banking on the visa changes to transform the scale of its operations. “Attracting Chinese shoppers is not just about footfall and revenues,” says Jeremy Gordon, director at China Edge, a consultancy. “It can boost a brand’s value, whether it is fundraising, or preparing for an IPO or ... sale.”
英国奢侈品行业期望通过签证政策的调整来使自身业务规模更上一个台阶。咨询公司China Edge的主管杰里米•戈登(Jeremy Gordon)表示：“吸引中国消费者的意义不仅在于增加客流量和销售收入，它还能提振一个品牌的价值，不论该品牌是正在筹集资金、准备首次公开募股还是准备出售。”
His digital communications tips for UK luxury brands include creating a Chinese landing page on corporate websites and ensuring brand communications articulate clearly what a brand does best, without assuming prior knowledge.
戈登对英国奢侈品牌提出的数字沟通建议包括：在公司主页上设立一个中文登陆界面，确保品牌宣传清晰传达出品牌的最大优势，不要预设消费者对品牌已经有所了解。
Meanwhile, the Bond Street Association, representing dozens of Mayfair businesses, has signed up to a “China-ready” workshop series devised by China Edge to help retailers offer Chinese-friendly luxury shopping.
与此同时，代表梅费尔区(Mayfair)数十家商户的邦德街协会(Bond Street Association)参与了由China Edge组织的一系列“为中国做好准备”研讨会，以帮助零售商们提供令中国消费者宾至如归的奢侈品购物体验。
“This year, more than 100m Chinese residents will travel abroad seeking high-end luxury brands,” says Gordon Clark, UK manager for Global Blue, tax-free shopping specialists. “These goods can be up to 30 per cent cheaper to purchase in the UK than in China even before the tax-free refund.”
免税购物专营商环球蓝联的英国区经理戈登•克拉克(Gordon Clark)表示：“今年，将有超过1亿名中国居民出国旅行，同时购买高端奢侈品牌。即使不考虑免税返还，在英国购买这些产品也会比在中国购买便宜30%。”
Tales abound among luxury industry insiders of the extravagance of Chinese shoppers. Last November, before “Singles’ Day” – China’s equivalent of St Valentine’s day – one Chinese man bought an engagement ring from 77 Diamonds, a London-based online jeweller, despite the fact that he did not have a girlfriend. He bought the ring “just in case”, the company says.
在奢侈品行业的圈子中，流传着大量有关中国消费者出手阔绰的故事。去年11月，在“光棍节”（相当于中国的情人节）的前夕，一名中国男子在总部位于伦敦的网上珠宝商77 Diamonds购买了一只订婚戒指，尽管当时他还没有女朋友。该公司表示，该男子购买戒指的理由是“以防万一”。
In February, Fortnum & Mason, the luxury London grocer, will for the first time host a private event and a promotion to celebrate the lunar new year – peak time for Chinese visitors.
伦敦高级消费百货商店Fortnum & Mason将于今年2月首次举行一场旨在庆祝中国农历新年的私密活动，届时还会进行促销活动——春节是中国游客来英国旅游的高峰期。
Celebrating the forthcoming year of the horse, products with an equestrian theme are expected to spring up around London. De Beers, the world’s largest producer of diamonds, has created window designs for Harrods incorporating a red background and a horse silhouette in gold and will hand out red-coloured surprise gift packages to Chinese customers.
预计伦敦奢侈品行业为庆祝即将到来的马年，将会大量推出以马为主题的产品。全球第一大钻石生产商戴比尔斯(De Beers)已经为哈罗德百货(Harrods)设计了一个包含红色背景以及金色马型轮廓的展示橱窗，而且还会向中国顾客派发红色的惊喜礼品包。
Some brands prefer to adopt a more cautious approach. Backes & Strauss, a diamond watch specialist, has not yet focused its marketing on Chinese visitors. But it awaits visa changes with interest. “We expect a significant impact on our UK sales to Chinese visitors at Harrods and our other UK locations,” says Vartkess Knadjian, its chief executive.
一些品牌倾向于采用更加慎重的做法。钻石手表专营商Backes & Strauss并未将其营销重心放在中国游客上，但它颇为关注签证政策的变化。该公司首席执行官瓦特基斯•克纳坚(Vartkess Knadjian)表示：“预计中国游客将对我们在哈罗德百货以及英国其他地区零售网点的销售带来重大影响。”