HCM City ranked first in the affordability category of the Globe Shopper Index, published by the Swiss shopping tourism company Global Blue.

Vietnam’s largest city scored particularly well for hotels, restaurants and bars. It also scored above average for the cost of global shopper’s favourite items, such as clothing, watches and electrical goods.

Global Blue’s expanded Global Shopper Index added 25 Asia-Pacific cities to the existing 33 European cities, ranking them on the experience they provide to international travel shoppers.

The rankings are based on five categories covering shops, affordability, convenience, hotels and transport and culture and climate.

Global Blue developed the Globe Shopper Index in partnership with the Economist Intelligence Unit as an essential planning tool for all international travel shoppers searching for their next shopping destination in Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Overall, HCM City came in 19 th in the Globe Shopper Index, a few points behind Osaka , Japan and ahead of Busan, the Republic of Korea.

Hong Kong topped the Index as the most attractive city for international travel shoppers in Asia-Pacific.

HCM City fell in the rankings because of the limited number of cultural and sporting events in the city.

A lack of large malls means that only a limited range of international brands are available to global shoppers in the city.

Global Blue is the expert on foreign travellers’ shopping and spending and makes retail transactions between merchants and their foreign customers easier and more rewarding for every-one.

The Global Shopper City Index – Asia -Pacific measures the attractiveness of 25 major Asia-Pacific cities for international travel shopping.