A special programme of events dedicated to Chinese tourists will be held in Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, in October. The aim of what has been named “Golden Week Lisbon” is to boost local retail sales of luxury and interior design goods, Portuguese news agency Lusa reported on Saturday.

The initiative will be held from October 1 to October 10 at Avenida da Liberdade, one of the main shopping streets in the city’s centre.

The dates coincide with week-long celebrations in China surrounding China’s National Day on October 1. During the period many Chinese travel abroad, said Renato Lira Leite, Portuguese representative of Global Blue, a tourism shopping tax refund company, which is organising the event.

Mr Leite explained the avenue would be decorated to match the occasion, and training would be provided to store employees to overcome cultural barriers in serving Chinese shoppers. Handbills with a map of the avenue’s main shops would be distributed via hotels and at popular tourist spots, he added.

The initiative includes a communication campaign outside Portugal, mainly via on-board airline magazines and at airports.

According to Lusa, Chinese tourists accounted for 14 percent of all tax-free sales in Portugal from January to August this year, trailing Angolan tourists (50 percent) and Brazilian tourists (20 percent).