The nationwide rollout of China's departure tax refund service, which smoothly reached its one-year mark this month, has effectively stimulated inbound travel and increased consumption vitality, experts said.

专家表示，中国离境退税全国性推广本月初平稳迎来实施一周年，有效刺激了入境旅游，激发了消费活力。

The policy governing the service aims to further enhance the convenience of departure tax refunds for overseas visitors and optimize their shopping experience. Travelers purchasing tax-refundable items at designated stores across the country can receive a spot refund in renminbi upon signing an agreement and processing a credit card preauthorization.

该政策旨在进一步提升境外旅客离境退税的便利性，优化其购物体验。在全国各地指定商店购买可退税商品的旅客，在签署协议并办理信用卡预授权后，即可现场领取人民币退税款。

China's tax authorities and relevant government organs have actively encouraged eligible stores to offer this "buy and get a refund" service, with their total number currently exceeding 8,000, surging more than 100 percent since the policy was adopted in April last year.

中国税务部门及相关政府机构积极鼓励符合条件的商店提供“买即退”服务。自去年4月该政策实施以来，提供该项服务的商店总数已超过8000家，增幅超过100%。

As the service continues to expand, more overseas visitors are receiving spot tax refunds on a wider range of goods, further spurring consumption.

随着该服务的持续扩展，越来越多的境外旅客在更广泛的商品品类上享受到了现场退税，进一步刺激了消费。

According to data from the State Taxation Administration, the number of individuals processing refunds nationwide over the past year increased by 12.96 times. Both the tax-refundable sales volume and the total refund amount increased by 9.35 times over the past year, marking a rapid growth in scale.

根据国家税务总局的数据，过去一年全国办理退税的人数增长了12.96倍。退税销售额和退税总额均增长了9.35倍，呈现出规模化快速增长趋势。

Fan Yong, dean of the Central University of Finance and Economics' School of Public Finance and Taxation, said the promotion and implementation of the service have effectively stimulated inbound consumption vitality.

中央财经大学财政税务学院院长樊勇表示，该项服务的推广落地有效激发了入境消费活力。

"It stands as an important achievement in China's continuous effort to optimize its business environment, and has promoted local brands on the international stage," Fan added.

他补充道：“这是我国持续优化国际化营商环境的重要成果，亦有力促进了本土品牌走向国际舞台。”

To further enhance the business environment, local tax authorities have actively explored ways to upgrade the service over the past year.

为持续优化营商环境，过去一年，各地税务部门积极探索服务升级路径。

For instance, Beijing has introduced a citywide processing system, allowing inbound travelers to shop at any tax refund store in the Chinese capital and process their refunds at a centralized location in the city.

例如，北京推出了全城通办系统，允许入境旅客在首都的任何一家退税商店购物，并在市内的集中退付点办理退税手续。

Sichuan province has launched a refund system based on a QR code, enabling overseas visitors to quickly complete the process and receive instant refunds by simply uploading photos of their application forms, valid identification documents and shopping invoices.

四川省推出基于二维码的退税系统，境外旅客只需上传退税申请单、有效身份证件和购物发票的照片，即可快速完成退税手续，实时收到退税款。

Shenzhen in Guangdong province has expanded its diversified electronic refund system by launching a real-time transfer service to WeChat Pay HK wallets for visitors from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

广东省深圳市通过推出微信香港钱包实时到账服务，扩展了其多元化的电子退税体系，方便香港特别行政区旅客办理退税。

It has also introduced a "digital RMB hard wallet" refund method, which involves a prepaid card that allows travelers to receive and use their refund instantly without needing a bank account or internet connection.

该市还推出了“数字人民币钱包”退税方式，即一种预付卡，旅客无需银行账户或网络连接即可实时接收和使用退税款。

Gary Cai, a partner at professional services firm KPMG and head of KPMG China Economic Research Institute, said that optimizing departure tax refunds and the payment environment lowers transaction costs for overseas visitors.

毕马威中国合伙人、毕马威中国经济研究院院长蔡伟表示，优化离境退税和支付环境降低了境外旅客的交易成本。

"This turns potential desire into real consumption," he said, adding that inbound consumption effectively supplements domestic demand and helps optimize the nation's overall trade structure.

他说：“这将潜在消费意愿转化为真实消费。”他补充说，入境消费有效补充了内需，有助于优化国家的整体贸易结构。

Experts also pointed to untapped consumption potential.

专家还指出，目前的入境消费潜力仍处于尚待开发阶段。

While China's inbound consumption in 2025 recovered to the pre-pandemic peak level, accounting for 0.7 percent of the nation's GDP, there remains a gap compared with major global tourist destinations, Cai said.

蔡伟说，虽然2025年中国入境消费恢复到了疫情前的峰值水平，占GDP的0.7%，但与全球主要旅游目的地相比仍存在差距。