Key Takeaways
• China’s visa-exemption covers 38 countries allowing 30-day stays, easing business and tourism entry.
• Visa-free transit extended to 240 hours at 60 ports; 380,000 visitors used it during May Day 2025.
• Tax refund minimum spend lowered to ¥200; refunds up to ¥20,000 via cash, bank, or mobile payments.
China has become one of the busiest hubs for inbound tourism in 2025, fueled by major changes to its visa policies and its tax refund systems. These updates make visiting easier and shopping more rewarding for international travelers. China’s efforts to simplify entry and returns from purchases have helped bring in more visitors and increased their spending, putting the country in a strong position among top destinations for global tourists.
Let’s look at what these changes mean, how they work, and why they are boosting China’s tourism numbers to new highs.
China’s New Visa Policies: Making Entry Easier for Tourists
First, China has made it much easier for people from many countries to enter without needing a visa in advance. The visa-exemption program now covers citizens from 38 countries. Recent additions include several South American countries like Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay as well as nine countries from Europe and Asia. Travelers from these countries can visit China for up to 30 days, whether for business or vacation.
But the changes don’t end there. The visa-free transit policy has also improved. Travelers from 54 countries who are just passing through China on their way to another country can now stay up to 240 hours (10 days) instead of the previous limit of 144 hours. This longer transit period is available at 60 ports of entry across China. During the May Day holiday in 2025, nearly 380,000 foreign visitors entered using these new visa arrangements, which marks a year-on-year jump of almost 73%.
These wider visa policies help tourists decide to visit China, as the country becomes more welcoming and entry procedures get simpler. For travelers, knowing they can get in quickly for short visits or layovers is a huge plus—and it boosts China’s competitiveness as a top tourist location in Asia.
Faster, Friendlier Tax Refund Systems for International Shoppers
Shopping is a big reason many people travel, and China’s government knows that. In late April 2025, China improved its tax refund system to make it more attractive to foreign tourists who shop during their visits. Here is how the new and improved tax refund systems work:
- The minimum amount visitors must spend in a participating store to claim a tax refund is now only ¥200 (about $28), which is much lower than before.
- The cap for getting the cash refund has been raised to ¥20,000.
- More stores and a wider range of products are now included in the program.
- Refunds can be received through various choices: cash, direct-to-bank transfer, or popular mobile payments like Alipay.
- In cities like Shanghai, self-service machines let travelers process their refunds quickly by scanning their passports and shopping receipts.
- In places like Chengdu, tourists can get a “refund-upon-purchase,” letting them claim their refund right at the point of sale instead of waiting till they leave China.
These features show that China wants to make shopping easier and more rewarding. With more digital options and lower spending limits, even visitors on a short trip can enjoy the benefits. This encourages tourists to spend more while in China and helps both the country’s retail sector and its image as a shopper-friendly place.
Tourism Numbers: China’s Growth in Arrivals and Spending
These policy changes are not just theoretical—they are already leading to real changes in travel behavior and spending patterns.
- In the first quarter of 2025, China recorded over 35 million inbound tourist visits. This was a nearly 20% increase compared to the same time the previous year.
- For all of 2024, about 132 million people visited China as tourists, spending a total of $94.2 billion. These numbers are very close to pre-pandemic figures—97% of the visitor volume and about 94% of the total spending compared with 2019.
- During the May Day holiday in 2025, the number of transactions by inbound travelers soared by almost 245%, and the total value of those transactions rose by over 128%. Alipay, a major digital payment platform, reported a 180% jump in spending from foreign tourists compared to the same holiday last year.
These statistics show two main effects: not only are more people coming to China, but they are also spending more once they arrive. Smooth visa entry makes it easy for tourists to come, and the friendly tax refund system, along with digital payments, encourages them to shop while they are there.
Why Visa Policies Matter: More Than Just Faster Entry
Visa policies may sound like just paperwork, but they are a huge factor when a traveler chooses where to go. When countries like China expand their visa-exemption lists or extend transit stays, they send a message that visitors are truly wanted. For travelers, every hour saved at border control adds to time they can spend seeing new places, eating local food, or shopping.
China’s approach is built on making these processes quick and hassle-free. Offering visa-free visits to more travelers, and lengthening how long others can stay in transit, breaks down barriers for both business and leisure trips. The fact that these policies work at 60 border posts means travelers have many choices, making entry even easier.
For business visitors, easier visa rules allow for more flexible or last-minute trips to China to meet partners, attend events, or close deals face-to-face. For friends and families, it means less time spent on paperwork and waiting—making China a more appealing holiday spot.
How Improved Tax Refund Systems Boost Tourist Spending
When a tourist buys something in a country, they often pay value-added tax (VAT) or sales tax, which locals pay as well. Some countries give this tax back to travelers who take the items out of the country. China’s decision to lower the minimum spending needed for a refund and raise the refund cap means almost anyone—including those who only buy a few things—can get some money back.
The new system also includes more shops and products, so tourists have more options on what to buy. Speed and convenience matter: by letting tourists get their refund right away or through their favorite digital payment apps, China is not only saving them time but increasing the likelihood that they will make an extra purchase during their trip.
Chengdu’s “refund-upon-purchase” service is especially important. It means shoppers don’t have to worry about paperwork at the airport—they get instant satisfaction, which is likely to encourage repeat purchases or good reviews.
For more details on China’s current visa rules and the tax refund process for foreign visitors, travelers can visit the official Chinese government immigration portal.
The Role of Digital Payments in China’s Traveler Experience
Digital payments are a must in today’s travel world. China has led the way in letting visitors use digital wallets like Alipay for both shopping and tax refunds. This removes the anxiety about handling cash, exchanging currency, or understanding local payment methods. Because these systems are widely accepted, tourists can get tax refunds directly onto their digital wallets in local currency or even have it sent to their home bank account.
This digital focus is attractive especially to younger tourists, who want fast, simple options. It also means travelers don’t need to carry lots of cash while moving around China, making the experience safer and more flexible. As VisaVerge.com notes, easy mobile payments, combined with quick refunds, help drive up tourist spending—giving travelers more reasons to shop during their stay.
Short Visits with Big Returns: The 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit
The extended visa-free transit window (now 240 hours instead of 144) is ideal for several situations:
- Tourists making stopovers in China on long journeys.
- Business visitors with brief meetings or workshops.
- People who want to spend a weekend or layover exploring cities like Shanghai or Beijing.
Now, tourists can spend more time enjoying major sights or shopping—even if China wasn’t their planned final destination. This flexibility is great for international travelers whose flights connect in China, letting them take advantage of local attractions without complex planning.
Major Holidays Show the Power of Policy Changes
Looking at the 2025 May Day holiday, the impact of China’s reforms is clear. The huge leap in spending and transactions during just three days shows how much these changes matter.
When tourists find it easier to enter and know they’ll get refunds on shopping, they plan to spend more—and actually do. The behavior patterns during this period suggest that both casual tourists and serious shoppers see China as an attractive option, especially during global holidays or shopping seasons.
Feedback and Word-of-Mouth: A Cycle of Growth
There’s also a snowball effect. As more tourists visit and discover how smooth these systems work, they share their stories with others—whether in person, on social media, or through reviews and blogs. Positive stories about quick visas, stress-free shopping, and fast refunds encourage more people to consider visiting.
Chinese officials expect this cycle to help inbound tourism keep growing. Improvements that begin with easier entry and better shopping experiences end up fueling bigger changes as more people want to come and try it for themselves.
Lessons for Other Countries
China’s rapid growth in inbound tourism is a lesson for other countries wishing to attract more visitors. Clearer visa policies, digital payment options, and customer-friendly tax refund systems create a positive loop—making visits easier and turning first-time visitors into repeat customers.
Lowering red tape doesn’t just help tourists—it helps the country’s economy by increasing spending in restaurants, hotels, shops, and attractions. As countries reopen and compete for international tourists after the pandemic, these small changes can make a big difference.
Conclusion: China’s New Appeal to International Tourists
To sum up, China’s reforms in visa policies and tax refund systems have opened the door wide to inbound tourism in 2025. The quick and easy entry process, combined with more ways to reclaim taxes on goods, is drawing in people from around the world. Add to that the convenience of mobile payments, a wider choice of shops, and instant refunds, and it’s easy to see why visitor numbers and spending keep rising.
Visitors—whether they come for business, sightseeing, shopping, or a simple layover—are finding China easier to visit and more rewarding than ever. If this pace keeps up, China will soon become one of the most popular destinations not just in Asia, but anywhere in the world.
For travelers thinking about a trip or a short stop in China, checking the latest visa and tax refund rules before you go will help you make the most out of everything the country now offers to visitors.
Learn Today
Visa-exemption program → Allows citizens from certain countries to enter China without prior visa for short visits up to 30 days.
Visa-free transit → Policy allowing travelers passing through China to stay up to 240 hours without visa at designated ports.
Tax refund system → Mechanism enabling tourists to reclaim value-added tax paid on eligible purchases during their stay.
Alipay → Popular Chinese digital payment platform widely used for shopping and tax refund transactions by tourists.
Inbound tourism → Visits by international travelers entering a country for leisure, business, or other purposes.
This Article in a Nutshell
China’s 2025 tourism surge is driven by easier visa policies and friendlier tax refunds. More countries entered visa-exempt lists, transit times lengthened to 10 days, and new refund options boosted visitor spending, positioning China as a preferred destination combining convenience and rewarding shopping experiences for global travelers.
— By VisaVerge.com
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