Duty-free shops may mean holiday bargains for some shoppers

(CNN) -- As Americans hit the malls for after-Thanksgiving sales, travelers are hitting duty-free shops for bargains on holiday shopping.

Duty-free, or tax-free, shopping recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The concept started in Ireland in 1947.

"Airplanes didn't have enough fuel to get from Paris and London all the way to New York, so they would stop in Ireland. Basically, the Irish government decided to capitalize on that and open duty-free shopping," said Laura Begley, senior editor at Travel & Leisure magazine.

Although travelers may be saving money, duty-free shops are making money -- almost $33 billion worldwide. Perfumes, tobacco and alcohol are the biggest selling items.

Duty-free shops are often found at airports, making them convenient for travelers who are looking for last-minute gifts and souvenirs.

But they aren't really a bargain for all travelers.

"If you're from a country with high taxation on consumer or luxury goods, like Japan or some European countries, a duty-free store is really a good deal. If you're from the United States, you'll probably find a better deal at an outlet store or even a neighborhood mall."
--- Chris McGinnis, CNN business travel consultant

"If you're from a country with high taxation on consumer or luxury goods, like Japan or some European countries, a duty-free store is really a good deal," said Chris McGinnis, a business travel consultant for CNN. "If you're from the United States, you'll probably find a better deal at an outlet store or even a neighborhood mall."

Duty-free shopping may be abolished in Europe in 1999.

"In the future, borders between European countries are not going to be much different than borders between U.S. states, so there will be no need to have a duty-free shop on intra-European borders," McGinnis said.

Meanwhile, duty-free shopping remains popular among many travelers, especially during the holidays.

Based on a report from CNN's Business and Travel and Beyond. The segment appears weekdays on Early Edition at 7 AM (ET) and on Morning News at 10 AM (ET).