CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- According to Chongqing Municipal Tax Service on August 7, Chongqing's cross-border tourism is booming, with “buying” increasingly popular. From January to July this year, the total sales of tax-refunded goods in Chongqing reached over 13.3 million yuan, with tax refunds exceeding 1.46 million yuan, surpassing the total amount for the entire year of 2023.

According to reports, with the expansion of China’s 144-hour visa-free transit policy and the peak summer travel season, Chongqing saw a significant increase in sales and tax refunds for outbound tax-refunded goods in July, and the total sales of tax-refunded goods reached 3.61 million yuan, nearly doubling compared with that in June on a month-on-month basis.

Among these, the tax refunds amounting to over 390,000 yuan were claimed by tourists from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau of China, and other overseas tourists from Singapore, Cambodia, and Indonesia, accounting for nearly 80% of the total tax refunds in July.

“Shopping in Chongqing is so convenient,” said Mr. Zhou from Singapore, who visited Chongqing recently. During his trip, he purchased a bag worth over 30,000 yuan at Star Light 68 in Jiangbei District. Using his passport and the VAT invoice for the purchased item, he filled out the Departure Tax Refund Application at the tax refund counter and received a refund of over 3,000 yuan. (Translated by Vichy, Fathom Language Limited)