The reporter learned from Guangzhou Customs that with the in-depth implementation of policies such as 240-hour transit visa-free and the promotion of the integrated development model of cultural, tourism and exhibitions, the inbound tourism market continues to heat up. According to statistics, in the first four months of this year, Guangzhou Baiyun Airport Customs inspected more than 4,600 tax refund applications for overseas passengers, and the total amount of tax refund applications for departure was approximately 104 million yuan, an increase of 195% and 149% year-on-year respectively.

It is understood that the transit visa-free policy provides sufficient time for foreign passengers to transit in Guangzhou. Combined with the developed "air-rail intermodal transport" network of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, it has attracted a large number of transit passengers to convert into "in-depth travel" consumers. "I not only had a good time traveling to China, but also bought a lot of things, including mobile phones, kitchen appliances for cooking, etc., and gained a lot." Before the departure declaration desk of Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, Karen, a passenger from Australia, was undergoing the tax refund procedures for departure. On his departure tax refund application form, the name of the purchased product, unit price, tax amount, etc. are stated, and the tax refund rate is 11%.

According to Du Zeqiang, deputy chief of the Customs Tourism Inspection Section 1, Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, the customs department learned during the business process that many foreign transit passengers stayed in Guangzhou for nearly a week, and some passengers would go to cities around Guangzhou, such as Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Dongguan, etc. to shop and play, driving the growth of consumption in local business districts, cultural and creative scenarios. In order to facilitate the handling of passengers' departure tax refund business, Guangzhou Baiyun Airport Customs has equipped "foreign language professionals + multilingual translation machines" at the outbound declaration station to provide passengers with multilingual and full-time business processing and consultation services. It also strengthens business processing process publicity by posting route guidelines, slogans and signs, etc., to ensure that passengers who purchase tax refund products can successfully arrive at the customs counter to complete tax refund verification. At the same time, we will strengthen cooperation with taxation, banks and other units, strengthen data exchange, realize rapid verification of items, instant system operation, and improve passenger tax refund experience.

It is understood that passengers who handle departure tax refund business only need to go to the exit customs declaration station to provide tax refund items, "Overseas Traveler Shopping Departure Tax Refund Application Form", tax refund items sales invoice and their valid ID documents, and the customs can complete the tax refund after verification. Guangzhou Customs relies on the information system to improve service efficiency, and the average waiting time for each passenger will not exceed 10 minutes.

(Reporter Zhao Jing and Zheng Shu of the General Station)