【Text/Observer Net, Wang Yong, Editor/Zhao Qiankun】

Starting from July 1st, China will expand the outbound tax refund policy for foreign tourists to Dalian City and Hubei Province. These new policies aim to provide convenience and benefits for foreign tourists traveling to China.

Prior to this, Dalian City announced that Dazhong Group, JD MALL, and Henglong Plaza were the first units for outbound tax refunds; the Hubei Provincial Finance Department announced the list of the first batch of 57 overseas tourist shopping tax refund stores in the province, with Wuhan Commercial Group's Wuhan MALL, Wuhan MALL·WTO, and Wuhan Dream Times among them. These distinctive stores cover multiple business formats such as high-end fashion and lifestyle supermarkets, meeting the shopping needs of different overseas tourists.

Outbound tax refund processing point at a location in Shenzhen, People's Daily

According to reports by multiple foreign media outlets, including Associated Press and Singapore's Straits Times, after implementing the outbound tax refund policy, foreign tourists can significantly reduce their expenses when traveling in China, and the refunded taxes may even help them purchase more goods. This policy not only eases the financial burden on tourists but also plays a key role in promoting inbound consumption, highlighting China's unique advantages in attracting international tourists.

The report mentioned that in April this year, the minimum amount for goods purchased by foreigners traveling in China for tax refunds was reduced from 500 yuan to 200 yuan, with a tax refund ceiling of 20,000 yuan.

As of June 13, the number of outbound tax refund stores nationwide in China has increased to 5,196, which is 1.4 times the number at the end of 2024. As of June 25, the number of outbound tax refund stores in Beijing alone has exceeded 1,300, with Chinese brand products accounting for 40% of the sales. In the first month of the implementation of the optimized outbound tax refund measures (April 27 to May 26), the number of outbound tax refund transactions processed by national tax authorities increased by 116%, and the sales of tax refund stores increased by 56%. The "buy and refund immediately" service pilot was expanded nationwide, with the number of transactions increasing by 32 times and sales increasing by 50 times compared to the same period last year.

The report stated that China's tourism industry is experiencing a significant increase in inbound tourists. Recently, China has expanded the coverage of the outbound tax refund policy for foreigners, which has played a key role in promoting the prosperity of the tourism industry. With the active global tourism market, China has become an excellent destination for international tourists. China integrates its rich cultural heritage, beautiful natural scenery, and diverse shopping experiences, greatly enhancing its appeal globally.

According to relevant data, in the first quarter of 2025, China received 35.0164 million inbound tourists, an increase of 19.6% compared to the previous year; among them, foreign tourists reached 7.3674 million, an increase of 39.2%. As of the first half of April this year, the consumption amount of foreign tourists using Alipay increased by 1.5 times compared to the previous year, and American users' consumption using Alipay increased by 2 times. From clothes, shoes, phones to robot vacuum cleaners, these have become popular categories for Americans to buy. Markets such as Yiwu Small Commodity Market, Shenzhen Huaqiang North, and Hangzhou Sizhinqing Clothing Market have also become popular shopping destinations for foreigners.

The report mentioned that Yiwu City in Zhejiang Province is a well-known trade center, often called a paradise for shoppers. This bustling city is one of the preferred destinations for many foreign tourists for sightseeing and shopping. They adopt a "tourism + shopping" model, directly purchasing goods from the trade markets while exploring local culture and natural scenery. This mode of travel and shopping is becoming increasingly popular among foreign tourists.

The report said that many foreigners are forming groups to fly to China to do shopping for others, and some foreign bloggers even posted requests for shopping: "If someone is going to China this weekend, contact me. I need you to buy something for me from China. Next time I go, I'll help you bring it. We can take turns bringing."

According to the data, since the beginning of this year, many cities in the Yangtze River Delta have been stimulating the potential of inbound consumption by optimizing outbound tax refund services and improving the quality and connotation of inbound tourism through the deep integration of culture and tourism. From January to May this year, Shanghai received over 3.396 million inbound tourists, an increase of 37.7% compared to the same period last year; among them, foreigners accounted for over 2.543 million, an increase of 55.1%. Jiangsu Province received a cumulative total of 1.1549 million inbound tourists in the first five months, an increase of 37.8%. Yiwu City in Zhejiang Province received over 249,900 overseas tourists in the first five months, an increase of 18.62%.

The above media reports stated that Yiwu's ability to combine tourism and trade is just one example of how China is reshaping its tourism products to attract international tourists. Now, as China continues to expand the coverage of the immediate tax refund system, it will further stimulate foreign tourists' tourism consumption and also benefit the overall tourism shopping experience.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7522368920423088686/

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