China sees surge in sales of duty-free goods amid inbound tourism boom
China has introduced a string of measures to
make it easier for international tourists to buy goods duty-free in recent months, with visitors now often able to claim sales tax refunds immediately in stores rather than having to line up at the airport.
In Shanghai, sales of tax-refundable goods jumped 85 per cent year on year in the first half of 2025, with the number of 'buy now, refund now' transactions surging 28-fold, according to figures released by the city's municipal government last week.
China introduced a more generous tax-refund policy for inbound tourists in late April, lowering the minimum purchase threshold from 500 yuan (US$69) to 200 yuan. The government has also expanded the number of localities and stores where visitors can claim refunds.
Sales of tax-free goods to inbound visitors in Beijing have averaged more than 100 million yuan per month so far this year, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported on Monday.
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