Starting May 1, overseas travelers using the instant in-store tax refund service in Guangdong Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region or Hainan Province may depart through any eligible tax refund port across the three regions, instead of being limited to the region where the purchase was made.
Earlier, on April 1, Guangdong and Fujian provinces had already launched cross-provincial recognition for the service. The latest expansion marks broader regional integration of China’s departure tax refund system in South China.
To streamline the process, tax authorities have upgraded digital services. During the 139th Canton Fair, overseas travelers could complete identity verification, invoice issuance and tax refund form printing with a single scan of their travel documents.
Overseas buyers at the 139th Canton Fair
Guangzhou has also enabled visitors to complete tax refund procedures at designated centers in major commercial districts, including Parc Central in Tianhe District, GrandBuy Department Store (Beijing Road Branch), Wanguo Outlets in Haizhu District and other eligible refund centers. Overseas travelers can now receive refunds through NFC tap payments or by scanning a QR code. At major international events such as the Canton Fair and APEC-related meetings, one-stop tax refund service stations were also available, with multilingual volunteers on site.
Data show that during the 139th Canton Fair, held from April 15 to May 5, Guangdong Province issued 35,000 tax refund forms, excluding data from Shenzhen. The number was nearly 10 times that of a year earlier, while sales exceeded 140 million yuan, up 153% year on year. The new regional tax refund recognition policy is expected to further boost inbound tourism consumption.
Text | South reporter Dai Bosi, intern Luo Zihan
Photo | Dai Bosi