Portugal could be a leading destination for luxury shopping tourism

Renato Lira Leite, managing director of Global Blue in Portugal, explains how shopping tourism continues to drive the growth of the national jewelry and watchmaking industry. The company, a leader in the Tax Free ecosystem, relies on technology and data insights to help brands reach the right international customers at the right time.

Global Blue is now an important player in the Tax Free ecosystem in Portugal; for those who work in jewelry and watchmaking, how would you practically describe what the company does and what value it adds to the day-to-day operations of the stores?

Simply put, Global Blue helps jewelry and watch brands sell more and better to international customers. We are the leading Tax Free Shopping partner in Portugal and work daily with watchmakers and jewelers to make the sales process to tourists faster, simpler, and more profitable. On the ground, this translates into three major areas of value: first, we handle the entire Tax Free process, reducing bureaucracy and freeing up teams for what really matters — selling and creating a good in-store experience.

Second, we provide data and knowledge about the profile of luxury shopping tourists in Portugal, allowing brands to adjust their offerings, prices, and service. And finally, we connect stores to the global flow of high-value tourists, positioning Portugal as a competitive destination for shopping tourism, especially in the watchmaking and jewelry categories, which have demonstrated great resilience.

Read the full interview in the latest issue of JoiaPro magazine.

16 de March, 2026
Interviews