A new incentive is attracting travelers to Alicante and other Spanish airports, encouraging visitors to spend more during their stay in Spain. El Altet airport has begun offering a Tax-Free Returns service, allowing non-EU visitors to reclaim the VAT paid on purchases while they are still in the country, rather than waiting weeks for refunds to appear in their bank accounts.
Global Exchange has launched this service at Alicante Airport after securing eligibility to provide it. The program is part of a competitive initiative managed by Aena, and it currently operates at four major Spanish airports: Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona El Prat, Malaga, and Alicante. The aim is to streamline refunds and boost shopper confidence by delivering faster value to travelers at the point of departure.
Previously, operators handling Tax-Free Returns processed refunds through cards, a system that could take several days or even weeks to settle. The new service offers immediate refunds, with the added option to convert the payout into the traveler’s local currency, according to Álvaro del Prado Coto, Spain director of Global Exchange. This rapid settlement is expected to benefit the airport retail network as travelers have more purchasing power before they depart. The added liquidity is seen as an they added-value by retail partners, enhancing the overall travel experience for visitors.
An exchange office is shown in the associated imagery. Information
This development comes at a time when travelers from the United Kingdom and other markets are evaluating refunds on departure. The UK, for instance, continues to offer tax refunds to its residents and visitors as they exit Spain, and data from 2022 shows millions of travelers involved in VAT reclaim processes through various channels.
Tourism expects Alicante-Elche airport to recover pre-pandemic figures with 1.8 million visitors
Official disclosures from the winning bidder indicate that the tender process will continue through the rest of the year. Roughly 55,000 VAT refund operations at Alicante Airport are anticipated to bolster traveler confidence as this option becomes more widely known and accessible.
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Over the past two years, VAT refund activity has faced sharp declines, whether cash or card, due to restrictions tied to the pandemic. In 2019 the tax authority processed more than 6.3 million redemption documents, and the associated turnover, including VAT, exceeded 1.9 billion euros. The health crisis and a drop in international tourism led to a notable downturn in 2020.
Recent improvements in tourism, along with the return of British travelers after Brexit, are expected to push VAT refund volumes back toward or beyond pre-pandemic levels. Projections for 2023 estimate a 40 percent increase in both the number of reimbursement documents issued and the total invoice amounts relative to 2019. In this scenario, more than 8.5 million transactions are anticipated to be processed.