Norway’s high-end department store Steen & Strøm had its best-ever year in 2024 with sales up by almost 7% over what was already a record year in 2023. The main driver was an international rush for tax-free shopping where revenue spiked by 122% year-over-year. Global luxury shoppers who regularly move between Europe’s most fashionable thoroughfares in Milan, Paris, and London are increasingly turning to the Norwegian capital for their shopping needs. Steen & Strøm has benefited, with Chinese shoppers now accounting for 16% of all tax-free sales, marking a 64% increase on their contribution in 2024. The numbers are likely to grow again this year following the decision by Hainan Airlines to restart direct flights from Beijing to Oslo from March 22 as a seasonal route and the fastest connection between the two countries. Flights had been suspended since the pandemic. Other nationalities showing surging tax-free transactions in Steen & Strøm last year came from (in order of growth): Thailand, Indonesia, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, and United States. Among the top 10, declines were seen from India and Germany, both down by 14%. This year, Norway’s Steen & Strøm is planning a new luxury and footwear concept, pop-ups for emerging brands, and a reworking of its restaurants and event spaces.