离境退税新政满月：“即买即退”北京速度打动境外旅客

Core Points - Beijing has launched its first three "immediate refund" tax refund points for outbound travelers, enhancing the consumer experience for international visitors [1][3] - Five countries, including Brazil and Argentina, have joined China's visa-free policy, further boosting inbound tourism and consumption potential [1][11] - The "immediate refund" service allows travelers to receive tax refunds at the point of purchase, streamlining the process and encouraging more spending [7][9] Group 1: Tax Refund Points - The first three tax refund points are located in Wangfujing, Financial Street, and Guomao Mall, officially starting operations today [3] - The process at these points is efficient, with refunds completed in 5 to 10 minutes, significantly improving the experience for foreign tourists [4][6] - The number of tax refund stores in Beijing has exceeded 1,000, the highest in the country, indicating a robust infrastructure for tax refunds [7] Group 2: Policy Enhancements - The tax refund policy has been optimized, with the minimum purchase amount for refunds reduced from 500 yuan to 200 yuan, and cash refund limits increased from 10,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan [8] - The cumulative limit for same-day tax refund items has been raised from 50,000 yuan to 220,000 yuan, enhancing the attractiveness of the service [8] - The introduction of multilingual tax refund guides and electronic maps aims to improve the consumer experience for international visitors [8] Group 3: Consumer Trends - The popularity of domestic products among foreign tourists has surged, with traditional and modern Chinese goods gaining traction [9] - Data from Beijing Customs shows a significant increase in tax refund applications, with a total amount of approximately 369 million yuan in the first four months of the year, marking a year-on-year growth of 114.82% [9] - The implementation of the 240-hour visa-free transit policy has led to a 22.3% increase in inbound travelers, further stimulating consumption [11]