Though many New Yorkers complain that tourists are underfoot and in their way, retailers across the city see them, and their strong euros, pounds and Canadian dollars, as a blessing.

Tourists helped Saks Fifth Avenue’s flagship store last quarter perform in line with the chain’s other stores, and Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren told Reuters on Friday that lately he was hearing more languages besides English than ever on the store floor.

Judging by some of the shoppers Reuters interviewed this week, visitors from abroad plan to spend plenty in New York:

- “Stuff is always cheaper here anyway and even more so with the dollar,” said Katy Moore, a visitor from Ireland, who was shopping at Foot Locker on Thanksgiving day.

-  Laurence Moran, a 30 year-old actor visiting from London, was waiting in line with a couple hundred people outside the Abercrombie & Fitch in Manhattan to splurge… on himself. Weak pound or not, Moran said he could not resist the Black Friday sales.

- Deb Curley, a British tourist in her 60s, said , “The toy stores here are crazy. We have nothing like this in England.”

In addition to these shoppers, Reuters encountered tourists from Israel, the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, Venezuela, Vietnam and many other countries intent on shopping til they drop.

(Additional reporting by Dhanya Skariachan)

(Photo: Reuters)