Departure tax refund claims surge in Hainan as new policies kick in

en.hainan.gov.cn

Updated: 2026-08-05

China's southernmost Hainan province handled 6,770 departure tax refund applications from overseas travelers in July — up a whopping 23.4 times year-on-year — in the wake of the implementation of new tax refund measures, according to statistics released by Haikou Customs on Aug 3.

The total value of tax-refunded goods during the month hit 8.85 million yuan ($1.23 million), up 28.2 percent from a year earlier, while the total tax refund amount jumped 28.5 percent to 1.1 million yuan, according to the customs authorities.

The growth came after six central government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, introduced new measures to further optimize departure tax refund services and stimulate inbound consumption.

The policies, which took effect on July 1, allow customs authorities to conduct random physical inspections on tax refund applications involving purchases valued below 10,000 yuan, while introducing a fully paperless processing system for departure tax refund applications.

Under the new procedures, customs inspections have shifted from examining every eligible item to conducting random checks on smaller purchases, significantly reducing processing times for departing travelers.

Anna, a traveler from Belarus, recently purchased five clothing items worth 1,269 yuan. After customs officers scanned her tax refund application, the system indicated that no physical inspection was needed, allowing her to complete the refund process without opening her luggage.

Since the new policies were introduced, the range of eligible tax refund products has continued to expand — from clothing and footwear to cosmetics and beauty products — providing overseas visitors with more shopping options. Many tax refund stores across Hainan have also launched promotions, allowing travelers to enjoy both retail discounts and tax refunds.

To better implement the policies, Haikou Customs improved departure tax refund signs and multilingual information materials at the international terminals of Haikou Meilan International Airport, Sanya Phoenix International Airport and Qionghai Bo'ao International Airport.

Customs authorities have also established an information-sharing mechanism with local taxation authorities, commerce departments and tax refund agencies to improve coordination and streamline services.

Haikou Customs promised to continue to strengthen its tax refund supervision and services, improve smart verification systems and support the growth of inbound tourism consumption in the Hainan Free Trade Port.