The 22nd China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF), set to open tomorrow at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Bao'an District, will feature an expanded departure tax refund zone aimed at offering a more diverse and more convenient shopping experience for overseas visitors.
First introduced at the 21st ICIF last year through a joint initiative by the Shenzhen Tax Service of the State Taxation Administration and Shenzhen New Group, the Tax Refund Zone for Departing Tourists was the first of its kind established at a national-level exhibition in China.
Overseas visitors learn about tax refund policies at a service point set up by Shenzhen Tax Service of the State Taxation Administration inside the Tax Refund Zone for Departing Tourists at the 21st China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair last year. Shenzhen Daily
Within the zone, overseas visitors were able to purchase latest Shenzhen-made tech products from brands such as Huawei, Honor, and DJI, have the purchased items properly packaged, and receive tax refunds instantly through an on-site service point, with staff of the Shenzhen tax authority's multilingual service team offering explanations of departure tax refund policies and procedures in visitors' native languages.
This year's departure tax refund zone will feature a larger exhibition space, a broader range of products, and enhanced tax refund services.
Its area will expand from 100 square meters to 400 square meters, while the number of participating merchants will increase from three to 12 to create a more diverse product lineup highlighting Shenzhen-made tech products, cutting-edge 3C electronics, and cultural and creative merchandise.
Supporting services will also be upgraded. The number of participating tax refund agencies will rise from one to three. Self-service departure tax refund machines will be deployed at the exhibition for the first time, complementing the city's tax refund WeChat miniprogram to further streamline tax refund procedures and improve tax refund efficiency.
The expanded departure tax refund zone is an active response to a recent notice jointly issued by six Chinese government departments on further optimizing departure tax refund measures and boosting inbound consumption.
The initiative is also part of Shenzhen's broader push to integrate technology, culture and consumer spending through the ICIF.
