ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, June 2, 1996 TAG: 9606030082
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
Despite predictions for slow growth in foreign tourism in America, the nation's capital and nearby Northern Virginia are experiencing a surprising surge - many foreigners are coming to shop, not gawk.
Washington has more major museums and historical monuments than any other U.S. city, and neighboring Virginia is dotted with homes of former presidents, Civil War battlefields and the first English Colonial settlement in America.
But one of the Washington area's biggest draws for foreigners and Virginia's No.1 tourist destination is a mile-long, discount shopping mall just outside the capital.
``My plan is to shop until I drop,'' said Denise Bernard, a Chilean expectant mother, who was buying everything she imagined she would need for her new baby at Potomac Mills shopping center.
She said prices are half those in Santiago and calculated she'd come out ahead, even including air fare.
Calvin Choone, an electronics engineer from Singapore, was using his only free day of a weeklong business conference in Washington to cruise Potomac Mills, which has rows of extra-long parking spaces reserved for tourist buses.
``I'm not planning to do any sightseeing in Washington,'' he said. ``There just isn't time after the work and shopping.''
Bernard and Choone have become more typical of foreign tourists to the capital, who still visit the Washington Monument, the Vietnam memorial and the Smithsonian museums but are also finding time to shop.
``The word is finally getting out that Washington is more than monuments and government buildings,'' said Marie Tibor, vice president of the Washington D.C. Convention and Visitors Association, the city's tourism promotion agency.
With New York City increasingly clogged by foreigners during the summer season, the nation's capital is fast establishing itself as an alternative, offering a shopping haven without the high-pressure tactics of New York street merchants, the crowds, or the perceived risk of muggings.
``Washington has always been a popular day-trip for internationals from New York,'' Tibor said. ``We have been working diligently to turn that into overnight visits, because that's when the real dollars pour in.''
Washington tourism is increasing with such promotions as United Airlines' program to allow a free stopover in the capital for overseas arrivals and Britain's Virgin Atlantic Airways' introduction of nonstop service between London and Washington.
``The long-term trend is certainly up for the entire capital region,'' said Matt Gafney, marketing director at the Virginia Division of Tourism in Richmond. ``We're seeing the largest growth from Britain, Germany, and Japan.''
Potomac Mills spokeswoman Virginia Pancoe said studies show that shopping is now the ``top leisure activity for international visitors. They out-spend the domestic shopper by about 5-to-1.''
The mall, which has 220 stores, attracts more than 4 million tourists a year, a quarter of its customers, she said. On a typical day, mall shoppers include a wide variety of Latin Americans, Asians and Europeans.
``Foreigners are particularly keen on products with a `Made in U.S.A.' sticker,'' said Todd Gaillard, the Levis store manager.
Other shopping centers in the capital area also are experiencing a boom in foreign sales.
``They take advantage of our prices, which they say are two to three times lower than in their countries,'' said Tom Wiley, manager of the Foot Locker sports shoe store at the Pentagon City Mall
But not all shopping leads to purchases.
``Foreign men gather here while their wives are busy in other stores,'' said Randy Merril, a gun salesman at the Sports Authority.
Intrigued by American movies, they are anxious to see close up the handguns, rifles and shotguns they've seen in films.
LENGTH: Medium: 75 linesby CNB