Overseas visitors leave with bounty of bargains, memories

A foreign tourist who has just disembarked from a cruise ship begins her exploration in Shanghai on April 4. [Photo provided to China Daily]

China, with targeted measures such as streamlining visa procedures and improving departure tax refund arrangements, has increasingly turned itself into not only a premier tourism destination but also an attractive shopping hub, officials and analysts said.

During this year's nine-day Spring Festival holiday, the hashtag "Becoming Chinese" surged across overseas social media, capturing a growing global fascination with celebrating the most important festival on the Chinese calendar.

Beijing ports alone recorded 101,000 inbound and outbound visits by foreign travelers during the Spring Festival holiday, a 42.3 percent surge from the same period last year, according to data from local authorities.

It's also worth noting that more than 30,000 visits were made under visa-free and 240-hour visa-free transit policies — double the figure from the 2025 holiday.

China has extended its unilateral visa-free policy to 50 countries, including many in Europe, North America, and Oceania, until Dec 31, allowing for stays up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits and exchanges.

On top of visa-exemption arrangements, China has also expanded the 240-hour visa-free transit policy to 65 ports across 24 provincial-level regions.

China has also optimized its departure tax refund system by lowering the minimum purchase threshold, expanding the network of eligible retailers, and introducing instant tax refunds — enabling overseas visitors to receive refunds immediately at the point of sale rather than queuing at airport counters upon departure.

The visitor influx has translated into robust retail activity. Shanghai recorded a 1.5-fold year-on-year surge in departure tax refund sales during the holiday period, while Sichuan province saw an even more dramatic increase of 3.2-fold, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.

Vice-Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping told a news conference in February that the country's 13,000 tax-refund shops for overseas visitors are stocked with premium products, with the refund program offering foreign visitors shopping in China a discount of about 10 percent on their purchases.

Last year, the number of overseas visitors claiming tax refunds surged by 305 percent year-on-year, data from the State Taxation Administration showed.

"Bringing an empty suitcase to China" has become a consensus among inbound tourists, who fill their luggage with everything from foldable smartphones and artificial intelligence glasses to drones and culturally inspired souvenirs, said Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy.

"From 'China Travel' to 'Shopping in China' to 'Becoming Chinese', more foreigners are coming from farther away to China, experiencing a China where tradition and modernity blend in all aspects," Dai added.

To enhance the potential of inbound tourism consumption and build a more internationalized consumer environment, China has selected some 15 cities for a pioneering two-year pilot program in November aimed at building a world-class consumption environment and attracting spending from overseas tourists.

Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and Chongqing, as well as Guangzhou in Guangdong province, will receive total funds of 200 million yuan ($28.1 million) each, while other pilot cities will be allocated 100 million yuan each.

"The goal of this pilot program extends beyond establishing 15 exemplary cities; it aims to create a diverse portfolio of replicable solutions. The country is essentially developing a blueprint for consumption upgrading that can be effectively applied across various regions," said Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy.

The program empowers pilot cities to benchmark themselves against renowned international hubs, using global standards as a mechanism to attract premier brands and enterprises. This, in turn, serves as a catalyst for local industrial transformation, fostering a virtuous cycle of quality enhancement, Zhu said.

"This creates a scenario of mutual benefit. Strengthening an internationally oriented consumption environment not only elevates China's global appeal but also directly improves the quality of life for its people," he added.