Along with the domestic consumption boom, deep-pocketed Chinese tourists have also dramatically increased their spending in foreign countries.

Chinese tourists to France overtook Russians to become the biggest consumers among foreign tourists to France, spending 158 million euros ($222 million) on duty-free luxury goods in 2009. The increase was a growth of 47 percent from that of 2008, according to AFP quoting Global Refund, a company specializing in tax-free shopping for tourists.

On average, Chinese tourists spent 1,071 euros ($1,496) in tax-free goods in 2009 per tourist, while Russians shelled out 1,055 euros ($1,474).

Chinese tourists' consumption in France has increased in recent years. The year-on-year growth of consumption value was 39 percent in 2007, 23.3 percent in 2008 and a staggering 47 percent in 2009, according to previous Global Refund reports.

But profligate Chinese consumers are not only interested in French products. Global Refund's report also shows from January to October 2009, Chinese consumption in Italy grew 34 percent year on year and 32 percent in Sweden.

Many department stores in France have Chinese language interpreters and store maps in Chinese. Chinese tourists are mostly intrigued by fashion products, such as cosmetics, perfume, luxury couture, and red wine. The tax-free goods are usually 10-50 percent lower than their prices in China.