BEIJING: In the first five months of this year, the customs of two major airports in Beijing processed departure tax refund applications for overseas travellers totalling approximately 478 million yuan (about US$66.52 million), up 91.61 per cent year-on-year, setting a new record high for the same period in history, according to Beijing Customs.
From January to May 2025, the customs of Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport handled a total of 12,180 departure tax refund applications from overseas visitors, marking a year-on-year increase of 147.01 per cent.
During the same period, the customs of Beijing Daxing International Airport processed departure tax refund applications for outbound travellers totalling over 72.37 million yuan, achieving nearly 200-per cent growth year-on-year.
The 240-hour visa-free transit policy has significantly boosted the number of foreigners visiting China, the municipal customs said.
As China continues to optimise its tax refund policy for overseas tourists, the potential for inbound tourism consumption is being fully realised. During the recent Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the number of tax refund applications processed at the two Beijing airports surged by 263.81 per cent year-on-year, while the total refund amount increased by 130.59 per cent compared to the same period last year, data from Beijing Customs shows.
The customs of Beijing Capital International Airport now has multiple tax refund counters in departure areas, which has helped streamline processing amid rising demand.
Meanwhile, Beijing Customs is working closely with tax authorities, tourism officials and Capital Airports Holdings Co Ltd, to publicise tax refund procedures via airport media, multimedia systems, and official new media platforms. - China Daily/ANN
