Consumption soars on airport tax refunds

Bolstered by the government's "Shopping in China" initiative and a series of consumption-friendly measures, customs authorities at key international airports across the country saw tax refund volumes surge in 2025, and they anticipate continued expansion in 2026.

According to Beijing Customs, Beijing Capital International Airport Customs handled 7,966 departure tax-refund transactions in January 2026, representing a some 350 percent year-on-year surge, with the refund amount reaching 15 million yuan ($2.17 million), up 43 percent on a yearly basis.

At the tax refund counter of Terminal 3 at the airport, Russian traveler Vera Zagulova said on Tuesday that her trip to China had been "highly rewarding".

"I bought a DJI Osmo Pocket 3 gimbal camera, and the tax refund process was very smooth," Zagulova said, adding that the product was priced at 2,948 yuan and she had applied for a refund of 324.28 yuan.

Liang Shu, a passenger inspection officer at BCIA Customs, said that to address common issues faced by foreign travelers — such as unfamiliar routes and unclear procedures — clearer terminal signage now better guides them to tax refund points, streamlining the process and saving time.

Similar efforts have also been rolled out at other international gateways across the country to enhance the experience of foreign visitors.

In Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning province, Yan Dan, deputy head of Shenyang Taoxian International Airport Customs, said that apart from setting up multiple departure tax refund verification points at the airport to cut waiting times during peak flight periods, airport customs has taken a range of measures to improve service efficiency.

"More than 50 on-site signage boards and audio broadcast facilities in four languages — Chinese, English, Korean and Russian — have been installed to assist foreign travelers who face language barriers and provide them with more convenient services," Yan said.

Data from other airports also point to a broader nationwide rise in departure tax refunds.

Fuzhou Changle International Airport Customs in East China's Fujian province processed more than 600 departure tax refund applications from overseas travelers in 2025, with the total value of the applications exceeding 2 million yuan, registering a year-on-year growth of 320 percent and 160 percent, respectively, according to Fuzhou Customs.

Boosted by the "Shopping in China" initiative and the 240-hour visa-free transit policy for travelers from more than 50 countries, foreign visitors are increasingly purchasing high-quality, tech-enabled and China-designed products, said Yuan Shuai, an official with the passenger inspection unit at Changle airport.

"Travelers from Europe and the United States tend to favor premium electronics, smart devices, photography equipment and traditional cultural items such as tea and porcelain. Asian visitors, particularly those from Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea, show stronger interest in cosmetics, skincare products, fashion and trendy consumer goods," Yuan said.

In addition to seeing a steady rise in imports, with goods ranging from daily necessities and fresh produce to industrial materials in 2025, Ningbo Lishe International Airport Customs in East China's Zhejiang province processed 528 batches of departure tax refund applications from overseas travelers last year, with the value of tax refunded goods reaching 43.71 million yuan, up 133 percent and 196 percent year-on-year, respectively.

Jiang Yiyi, dean of the school of leisure sports and tourism at Beijing Sport University, said China's inbound tourism and shopping momentum is expected to remain strong this year as visa policies become more convenient and international flight capacity continues to recover.