Xinjiang sees 26-fold surge in tourist tax refunds in first 10 months

URUMQI -- Tax refunds for overseas tourists at the aviation port in Urumqi, Xinjiang's main international gateway, hit over 8 million yuan (about $1.13 million) in the first ten months of this year, a 26-fold year-on-year increase.

Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, renowned for its diverse natural and cultural tourism resources, has long been a major draw for international travelers. In the first ten months of 2025, the region received 2.12 million inbound visitors, up 6.06 percent year-on-year.

To further facilitate cross-border tourism, China introduced a series of measures in April to optimize its departure tax refund policy, including lowering the minimum purchase threshold, streamlining the refund process and expanding service channels.

The nationwide policy has significantly boosted cross-border consumption in Xinjiang. At the international departure area of Urumqi Tianshan International Airport, signs and information screens in six languages guide travelers through the tax refund process.

Azamat Yernar, a tourist from Kazakhstan, purchased Atlas silk clothes and Xinjiang specialty handicrafts at the airport. "These products are very unique, and the prices are even better after the tax refund. The tax refund process here is very convenient -- it took only two minutes from submitting the documents to customs verification," he said.

Xinjiang has expanded its tax-refund categories to 12, including luxuries, cultural products, textiles and local foods.

"We will enrich tax-refund product varieties with Xinjiang characteristics and enhance service convenience for travelers," said Zhang Weijie, deputy director of the airport's customs.