Xiushui Street's 550% Surge: How Tax-Refund 2.0 Lit the 'Beyond-2019' Tipping Point for Inbound Consumption

By: ChinaTravelPlus (CTP) Research Desk · August 6, 2026

Keywords: Xiushui Street, Tax Refund 2.0, Beyond 2019, Guangdong Hunan Yunnan Shanghai, Inbound Spending, China Travel Shopping

SEO Description: Beijing's Xiushui Street logged 4.3M+ inbound visitors in H1 2026 (+550% YoY), ¥2B sales (+350%), 35% above 2019. Tax-Refund 2.0 ignited a Beyond-2019 matrix.

Word Count: ~6,500 words

Read Time: 15 minutes

I. The Hook: When a Spanish Family Stuffed Their Suitcase With "Made-in-China Goodies," Xiushui Street Sold ¥2 Billion in Six Months

On August 3, 2026, Xinhua correspondents Dai Jinrong and Wei Yukun filed a front-page story from Beijing's Xiushui Street. In the frame, Layla and her family from Spain were queuing at the "Instant Refund" central counter on the south entrance of the first floor, sorting through suitcases full of clothing, electronics, and porcelain—"Made-in-China goodies" they were about to bring home after nearly half a month in China.

"There are so many product types and styles here. It's really a great place to shop," Layla said. (Source: Xinhua, August 3, 2026, https://www.news.cn/2026-0803/)

This is not a one-off. Dong Qing, President of Beijing Xiushui Street Commercial Management Co., Ltd., released to Xinhua a set of numbers that has the entire inbound travel industry standing up:

• In the first half of 2026, Xiushui Street welcomed over 4.3 million inbound visitors, a year-on-year increase of 550%;
• Inbound tourist sales reached approximately ¥2 billion, a year-on-year increase of 350% versus H1 2025;
• Compared to the same period in 2019—a pre-pandemic peak—sales grew 35%. This means Xiushui Street's inbound consumption isn't just "recovered." It has surpassed 2019. (Source: The Beijing News, July 29, 2026, http://m.163.com/dy/article/L30SE7RD0512D3VJ.html; Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau / Beijing Fabu, July 30, 2026, https://k.sina.cn/article_2418724427_902ace4b01901kks4.html)

When we place these numbers back into the rhythm of China's overall inbound travel in 2026, they represent more than "one mall's report card"—they are a clear "Beyond 2019" tipping-point signal. At the moment when China travel is shifting from "recovery" to "explosion," three forces—policy dividends (Tax Refund 2.0) + commercial-district service upgrades + city-matrix diffusion—have been fully ignited on July 1, 2026.

So why is 2026 the year? Why Xiushui Street? And why is "Beyond 2019" a tipping point?

1. Why 2026? Because on May 12 (and operationalized May 19), 2026, six ministries issued the "Shang Xiao Fa 2026 No. 74" notice—colloquially "Tax Refund 2.0"—which took effect on July 1, instantly injecting 12,252 nationwide tax-refund stores with a policy booster.

2. Why Xiushui Street? Because by July it had achieved 100% tax-refund merchant coverage, deployed an "Instant Refund" central counter, hit 100% overseas-card POS coverage, and fielded 200 multilingual shopping guides offering 10-language shopping + 20-language after-sales—outpacing 90% of Chinese cities.

3. Why is "Beyond 2019" a tipping point? Because it means the "Check-in China" traffic has stably converted into "Spend in China" retention.

ChinaTravelPlus (CTP) Research Desk uses "Xiushui Street's 550% surge" as the central sample to decompose "Beyond 2019" from a single benchmark (Chang'an Avenue) into a national matrix phenomenon across four provinces: Guangdong, Hunan, Yunnan, and the Yangtze River Delta.

II. Pillar One: The "Five Upgrades" Behind Xiushui Street's 550% Surge

Breaking down Xiushui Street's H1 550% surge, it's essentially a deep experiment in simultaneously delivering five upgrades: policy, payment, language, experience, and scene.

2.1 Policy Upgrade: Tax-Refund Merchant Coverage Hits 100%

On May 19, 2026, Tax Refund 2.0 was officially issued, and Xiushui Street rapidly responded by achieving 100% coverage of merchants in its jurisdiction that meet tax-refund filing conditions. This means that as a landmark foreign-related commercial window on Chang'an Avenue and a pilot site for Beijing's international-friendly commercial district, Xiushui Street completed jurisdictional implementation in a very short window from policy release.

The key number: In the first half of 2026, Xiushui Street's tax-refund orders already rose 54% compared to the full year of 2025. (Source: Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau / Beijing Fabu, July 30, 2026, https://k.sina.cn/article_2418724427_902ace4b01901kks4.html). Translation: half a year of work surpassed a year of work.

The "Instant Refund" central counter on the south entrance of the first floor serves not only all tax-refund merchants inside the building but also radiates to surrounding commercial carriers. This "single-point radiation driving the international consumption environment of the entire area to upgrade synchronously" is the concrete implementation of the "convenient and nearby tax refund" orientation emphasized by Tax Refund 2.0.

2.2 Payment Upgrade: 100% Overseas-Card POS Coverage + Currency Exchange + Foreign-Card Cash Withdrawal

Faced with the rapidly growing inbound passenger flow, Xiushui Street built a full-chain internationalized service system. Three numbers in the "payment link" stand out:

• 100% overseas-card POS coverage across all merchants—breaking the traditional pain point of "foreign cards cannot be swiped";
• Currency exchange counters—supporting foreign cash exchange to RMB;
• Foreign-card cash withdrawal ATMs—allowing foreign visitors without cash to withdraw directly.

Comparative significance: From Blog 36 (Guangzhou International Consumption Center) to Blog 40 (Market Diffusion Theme), we have repeatedly emphasized that the "payment loop" is the underlying infrastructure for inbound consumption explosion. Xiushui Street has used the "trio" of 100% overseas-card POS coverage + currency exchange + foreign-card cash withdrawal to first break through this layer of infrastructure, providing the physical foundation for the 550% surge.

2.3 Language Upgrade: 200 Multilingual Shopping Guides + 10-Language Shopping + 20-Language After-Sales

This is Xiushui Street's most differentiated upgrade.

Xiushui Street not only achieved full coverage of shopping in 10 languages, but also provided personal services relying on 200 multilingual shopping guides in the building, and established a 20-language after-sales service station—this is Beijing's first mall-exclusive multilingual after-sales service station, providing a one-stop full chain service of shopping guidance, after-sales rights protection, and tax refund consultation (Source: Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau / Beijing Fabu, July 30, 2026).

Comparative significance: In a destination like Beijing driven by "hard sights + cultural heritage," language is the last mile of "whether tourists dare to enter the door." The 20-language after-sales item means that visitors from long-tail source countries such as Spain, Russia, the UK, Italy, and Australia can complete the full closed loop of "product selection—payment—after-sales—refund" in their native language.

2.4 Experience Upgrade: 18-Hour Custom Tailoring + 30-Minute Glasses + Hotel Delivery + Global Shipping

Applying "the speed of Made in China" to inbound visitors, Xiushui Street has made "four unique service commitments":

• 18-hour fast custom tailoring—Traditional custom tailoring takes 1-2 weeks, Xiushui Street compresses it to 18-hour delivery, allowing visitors to receive a fitting suit after just two nights in Beijing;
• 30-minute glasses—Based on years of accumulated lens inventory + on-site fitting capability in the building, glasses are ready in 30 minutes;
• Hotel delivery—Solving the inconvenience of visitors "dragging shopping bags while shopping";
• Global shipping—Directly shipping goods back to the source country (Source: People's Daily Overseas Edition / Huanqiu.com, August 4, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7669998215965475354/).

Comparative significance: These four services may seem scattered, but they answer a core question—"Why buy at Xiushui Street instead of the airport duty-free shop?" The answer is "customization capability + speed + fulfillment chain." This "non-standard service capability" is a moat that duty-free shops cannot replicate.

2.5 Scene Upgrade: Meet China Digital Screen + Beijing Inbound Travel Conference Cultural Experience in June

The Meet China inbound consumption digital screen deployed in Xiushui Street, equipped with more than 10 languages for narration, Chinese product display, and self-service consumption guidance, is an important supplement to international consumption facilities, effectively lowering the product selection threshold for foreign visitors (Source: Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau / Beijing Fabu, July 30, 2026).

During the Beijing Inbound Travel Conference in June 2026, Xiushui Street specially built an immersive cultural experience zone, offering free tea ceremony tasting, brush calligraphy, traditional Chinese medicine massage and other special experience projects to global cultural and tourism industry participants, deeply binding shopping consumption with traditional Chinese culture—this is a living sample of culture-commerce-tourism integration.

Future plan: Xiushui Street's relevant person in charge said that in the future, cultural experience activities will be opened to foreign visitors on a regular basis, continuously releasing the international consumption attractiveness of the capital in a culture-commerce-tourism integrated model.

Pillar One Core Conclusion

"Policy + Payment + Language + Experience + Scene" five upgrades constitute Xiushui Street's "Inbound Consumption Friendly Commercial District" five-dimensional model. These five upgrades are not isolated actions, but a combination punch—a single upgrade can only solve one pain point; only when all five upgrades are simultaneously delivered can the "traffic entry point" be transformed into "consumption conversion."

This is also why "Beyond 2019 35%" is not a simple year-on-year number, but the systematic result of the four-wheel drive of "policy—service—product—culture."

III. Pillar Two: Tax Refund 2.0—The "Acceleration" of 8 Measures

If Xiushui Street is the "showroom that catches the flow," then the "Shang Xiao Fa 2026 No. 74" "Notice on Strengthening Optimization of Departure Tax Refund Measures to Expand Inbound Consumption" issued by six ministries including the Ministry of Commerce on May 12, 2026 (i.e., "Tax Refund 2.0") is the underlying power source of this round of "Beyond 2019 turning point."

3.1 Eight Core Measures of Tax Refund 2.0

1. Increase the coverage of tax refund stores—By the end of 2025, there were 12,252 tax-refund stores filed nationwide, of which more than 7,000 provided "instant refund" services, and the coverage continued to expand (Source: CCTV News, August 4, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7669973172246970918/);

2. Implement small-amount spot-check system—From July 1, for tax refund application forms with a refund sales amount below 10,000 yuan, physical verification will be conducted on a random sampling basis at a certain proportion; those above 10,000 yuan will still be verified one by one according to current regulations. This is a fundamental change from "100% physical verification item by item" to "small-amount random spot check";

3. Optimize "Instant Refund" service—Uniformly extend the departure period to 28 days (previously some pilots had shorter periods), and support cross-province mutual recognition (5 provinces of Hunan/Fujian/Guangdong/Guangxi/Hainan realize instant refund cross-province mutual recognition from July 1);

4. Fully implement paperless tax refund processing—From July 1, shopping details, invoice information, and tax refund application information will be uploaded to the electronic system in real time. Customs officers scan or enter the passenger's departure tax refund service code, passport number, or tax refund application form number, and the system can automatically retrieve electronic data for online confirmation, achieving "one-time information entry, multi-party sharing, full traceability";

5. Build exhibition tax refund service platforms—Set up tax refund zones in important exhibitions such as CIIE, Canton Fair, and China International Consumer Products Expo, packaging "exhibits + refund" as a standard service package;

6. Optimize inbound consumption environment—Promote more merchants to accept overseas bank cards and mobile payments, and add multilingual shopping guide services in key business districts;

7. Improve the service quality of tax refund stores—Standardize the filing, operation, and supervision of tax refund stores;

8. Strengthen departmental coordination—The customs, taxation, commerce, and tax refund agency parties will collaborate in a four-way linkage to establish an information exchange mechanism (Source: Haikou Customs / Hainan Daily, August 4, 2026, http://hq.xinhuanet.com/20260804/0d2c96453b9841b39e86fef72cc6b521/c.html; Chinese Government Network / Hainan Provincial People's Government Network, July 3, 2026, https://www.hainan.gov.cn/hainan/xwfbhyg/202607/58d29a52c3ad4106ab44e5d9ae5b7589.shtml).

3.2 Tax Refund 2.0's "Acceleration": Guangzhou Baunaohui Issues the First Paperless Refund

On July 1, a Brazilian tourist named Roni and his friends "shopped to the max" at Baunaohui in Tianhe District, Guangzhou, and became the first batch of experiencers at Baunaohui's new tax refund point, issuing the first paperless tax refund in Guangzhou.

Roni and his friends purchased domestic foldable screen accessory sets, HD sports cameras, professional wireless noise-cancelling headphones, smart wearable devices and other popular products in one go—this is the most typical sample of "Made in China" in the shopping carts of inbound visitors. After the purchase, Roni came to the tax refund service point in the mall, presented his foreign passport and electronic consumption voucher on site, and under the efficient guidance of the staff of Agricultural Bank of China Guangzhou Branch, received the refund on the spot in just a few minutes.

Roni praised Guangzhou's tax refund service on the spot: "So convenient! Such a great experience!"

(Source: Guangzhou Municipal People's Government Portal, July 2, 2026, https://www.gz.gov.cn/ysgz/xwdt/ysdt/content/mpost_10882596.html; Investment Tianhe / Tianhe District Government, July 3, 2026, https://www.thnet.gov.cn/zjth/tzth/tzdt/content/post_10887009.html; Agricultural Bank of China Guangzhou Branch, July 15, 2026, http://www.gfa.net.cn/cms/hydtt/6945.do)

Key significance: Baunaohui became Guangzhou's fourth "Instant Refund" central counter. Combined with the benefits of uniformly extending the departure period to 28 days, and central refund city-wide, it will effectively enhance the technological consumption experience of foreigners in Guangzhou and activate digital-featured inbound consumption.

3.3 Tax Refund 2.0's "National Full Month": Hainan's First-Month Vouchers +23.4 Times

One month after the implementation of the new policy on July 1, Hainan took the lead in submitting its first-month report card. Haikou Customs released statistics on August 3:

• In July 2026, Haikou Customs handled a total of 6,770 departure tax refunds for foreign travelers, a year-on-year increase of 23.4 times;
• The total amount of refunded goods was 8.85 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 28.2%;
• The refund amount was 1.1 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 28.5% (Source: Hainan Daily / Xinhua Net, August 4, 2026, http://hq.xinhuanet.com/20260804/0d2c96453b9841b39e86fef72cc6b521/c.html; People's Daily Hainan / Jintai Information, August 4, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7669978749861675547/).

A tourist named Anna from Belarus purchased 5 clothing items worth 1,269 yuan. The customs officer simply scanned the tax refund application form with the scanning device, and the system showed that no inspection was required. Anna did not need to take the clothes out of her suitcase for customs verification and could directly process the refund. This is the "personal experience" of small-amount spot check + paperless.

Comparative significance: From "100% item-by-item verification" to "small-amount spot check + paperless," Tax Refund 2.0 has upgraded "customs clearance efficiency" by an order of magnitude. Hainan's new policy's first-month voucher number +23.4 times, shows that it is not that no one buys, but that the past process blocked people. Now that the process is smoothed out, the volume naturally rises.

Pillar Two Core Conclusion

Tax Refund 2.0 is not a "policy upgrade," but a "customs clearance efficiency upgrade." Small-amount spot check + paperless + 28-day departure + cross-province mutual recognition, these four core changes compress the old process of "20 minutes of verification—half an hour of refund—short window departure" into an experience of "scan and go, receive payment in minutes."

For consumers, this means "dare to buy, dare to refund, dare to delay until the 28th day to leave"; for cities, this means the conversion funnel for inbound consumption is significantly expanded.

IV. Pillar Three: The Consumption Data Panorama—Xiushui Street's ¥2B +350% Is Not an Isolated Case

Horizontally comparing the "Beyond 2019 / year-on-year surge" data of major cities/ports, we see a picture of a national inbound consumption matrix igniting simultaneously.

4.1 Shanghai: 253,000 Vouchers + Nearly 3 Times / ¥2.3B +58% / 3.166M Foreign Visitors +22%

Shanghai Customs H1 2026 data:

• Verified 253,000 departure tax refund applications, a year-on-year increase of nearly 3 times;
• Departure tax refund goods amount ¥2.3 billion, a year-on-year increase of 58%;
• The number of departure tax refund applications and the amount of goods account for about 40% of the national total, ranking first in the country.

Shanghai Port Foreign Inbound Passenger H1 2026 Data: 3.166 million person-times, a year-on-year increase of 22%.

Shanghai No. 1 Department Store H1 2026 Data: Handled more than 12,000 departure tax refund businesses, a year-on-year increase of more than 3 times; tax refund consumption amount increased by 2 times year-on-year (Source: CCTV News / CCTV Finance, August 4-5, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7669973172246970918/, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7670215907221717567/).

Comparative significance: Shanghai, with "40% of the national share," has become the "half the country" of departure tax refunds—¥2.3 billion in goods + 253,000 vouchers, meaning Shanghai is the city with the highest "gold content" of inbound consumption.

4.2 Shenzhen: 69,000 Foreigners at Airport Port in Summer +24.5% / Visa-Free 61% / Children Under 14 +24%

Shenzhen Airport Port H1 2026 Data:

• As of July 12, the number of foreigners entering and leaving Shenzhen Airport Port this year has reached 1.022 million person-times, a year-on-year increase of more than 32.5%, setting a historical high for the same period, breaking the "million mark" 71 days earlier than last year;
• In the first half of the year, the number of foreign travelers entering through Shenzhen Airport visa-free exceeded 300,000, a year-on-year increase of 43.9%, an increase 13.3 percentage points higher than the national average;
• The number of foreigners entering through Shenzhen Airport Port with a visa stay period of 30 days exceeded 363,000, accounting for nearly 74.9% of the total number of inbound foreigners, a year-on-year increase of nearly 28.1% (Source: Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Press, Publication, Tourism and Sports, July 21, 2026, http://wtl.sz.gov.cn/gkmlpt/content/12/12901/post_12901467.html; Shenzhen Municipal SASAC, July 21, 2026, https://gzw.sz.gov.cn/gkmlpt/content/12/12902/post_12902495.html).

Summer Latest Data (CCTV News, August 5, 2026):

• Since the summer, the number of foreigners entering through Shenzhen Airport Port has reached 69,000, a year-on-year increase of 24.5%, with Malaysia and Singapore ranking among the top source countries;
• Among the foreign travelers entering during the summer, the proportion of visa-free entry reached 61%, a year-on-year increase of 29%;
• Family travel is heating up rapidly, with the number of inbound children under 14 rising 24% year-on-year;
• As of August 3, the passenger flow at Shenzhen Airport Port has reached 657,000, a year-on-year increase of 4.1%;
• Liantang Port passenger flow reached 3.03 million, a year-on-year increase of 9%, setting the highest summer customs clearance passenger flow record since the port opened;
• In 2026, the number of inbound and outbound personnel verified at Liantang Port has exceeded 20 million, achieving this scale 30 days earlier than last year (Source: CCTV Finance, August 5, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7670215907221717567/).

Zheng Shihui, a merchant in Nantou Ancient City, Shenzhen, revealed that the number of foreign customers in the store has grown by 10% to 20%—characteristic streets + new art museums are becoming the "first choice for check-in" for inbound visitors.

Comparative significance: Shenzhen forms a "three-dimensional inbound channel of sea, land, and air" with "airport port + land port (Liantang, Futian, Huanggang)." The three growth rates of 32.5% + 43.9% + 24.5%, combined with 74.9% medium- and long-term stay ratio, show that Shenzhen has changed from a "transit station" to a "destination."

4.3 Beijing: April 26, 7M +13.3% / June 15, 10M +10.5% / April 12 Single Day 16,000

Beijing, as the "national gateway" for inbound travel, has steadily growing passenger flow data:

• 16,000 foreigners entered in a single day on April 12;
• Visa-free accounts for 70.4%-71.7% of inbound foreigners;
• 7 million cumulative inbound on April 26 +13.3%;
• 10 million cumulative inbound on June 15 +10.5%.

Comparative significance: Beijing continues to attract inbound tourists with its "golden triangle" of Xiushui Street + Forbidden City + Great Wall, and Xiushui Street's report card of ¥2 billion +350% is the most direct evidence that these 10 million inbound tourists are "staying to consume."

4.4 Hainan: 6,770 Vouchers in First Month of New Policy +23.4 Times / ¥8.85M +28.2% / ¥1.1M +28.5%

See Pillar Two 3.3 for details. Under the dual dividends of customs closure operation + Tax Refund 2.0, Hainan's July departure tax refund vouchers increased 23.4 times year-on-year, total goods amount +28.2%, refund amount +28.5%—this is the most significant "first-month report card" after the implementation of Tax Refund 2.0.

Pillar Three Core Conclusion

Xiushui Street's ¥2B +350% is not an isolated case. From Shanghai's 253,000 vouchers + nearly 3 times, Shenzhen's 69,000 +24.5%, Hainan's 6,770 vouchers +23.4 times, to Beijing's 10M +10.5%—this is a "national simultaneous ignition" inbound consumption matrix.

Tax Refund 2.0 + Inbound Visa-Free Policy Stacking is transforming "Beyond 2019" from a single benchmark (Beijing Xiushui Street) into a national matrix phenomenon.

V. Pillar Four: CTP Four-Province Consumption Map—4 Benchmark "Beyond 2019" Validations

The ChinaTravelPlus (CTP) Research Desk breaks down the benchmark cases of inbound consumption scene diffusion one by one according to the four provinces of "Guangdong, Hunan, Yunnan, and the Yangtze River Delta."

5.1 Guangdong: Guangzhou Baunaohui + Shenzhen Airport / Nantou Ancient City + Liantang Port

Guangzhou: Baunaohui Paperless Tax Refund First Order + DJI / Insta360 / Rokid AI Glasses National Digital Matrix

As described in 3.2, Baunaohui is the birthplace of the "Guangzhou first order" of Tax Refund 2.0. But the deeper significance of Baunaohui is—it is the "front shop" of China's smart manufacturing brands going global.

The Tianhe Baunaohui business district is the largest and most complete digital and smart technology product trading and distribution center in Guangzhou, gathering many flagship stores of national digital brands. The transportation advantage of being located above Gangding Station of Guangzhou Metro Line 3 makes Baunaohui a golden shopping point for inbound travelers "tech consumption—fast refund—continue shopping".

Policy Stacking: On May 1, 2025, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and Shenzhen realized cross-province mutual recognition of departure tax refund "Instant Refund"—this is the "policy merging" of offshore tax refund and inbound tax refund at the four-province/city level (Source: Investment Tianhe / Tianhe District Government, July 3, 2026, https://www.thnet.gov.cn/zjth/tzth/tzdt/content/post_10887009.html).

Shenzhen: Airport Port + Nantou Ancient City + Liantang Port "Three Engines"

See 4.2 for details. Shenzhen forms a "three-dimensional inbound consumption engine" with airport port 1.022M +32.5%, Liantang Port 20M +30 days earlier, and foreign customers in Nantou Ancient City +10%-20%.

Guangdong Province Core Conclusion: Guangdong is the first front for inbound consumption of "national digital + tech consumption + three-dimensional port". Baunaohui + Shenzhen Airport + Nantou Ancient City form a closed loop of "tech experience—fast refund—cultural check-in".

5.2 Hunan: Changsha 182,300 Inbound Visitors +37.81% / Total Spending $224M +61.39%

Changsha H1 2026 Core Data (Changsha Municipal Government Portal / Changsha Evening News, August 3, 2026, http://www.changsha.gov.cn/bmrl/bmrlzwdt/202608/t20260803_12515870.html):

• The city received 182,300 inbound tourists, a year-on-year increase of 37.81% on a comparable basis;
• The total spending of inbound tourists was $224 million, a year-on-year increase of 61.39% on a comparable basis;
• The number of foreign tourists entering through Changsha Port continued to rank first among the six central provincial capitals.

Policy and City Breakthrough:

• Changsha was officially selected as a National Tourism Hub City in the "15th Five-Year Plan for Building a Strong Tourism Country"—only 32 seats nationwide, Changsha is the only provincial capital in central China selected;
• Since 2024, the transit visa-free policy has been extended from 72 hours to 240 hours—China's unilateral visa-free network has been expanding country by country since 2023, with the 240-hour transit visa-free window now available at dozens of ports nationwide;
• In January 2025, Hunan issued the "12 Measures for Inbound Tourism"—group visa for 2 people, mutual filing between Changsha and Zhangjiajie, "1 working day for visa issuance"; "air-to-air transit" passengers can enjoy "four free and five enjoy" services;
• Changsha's 11 departments jointly issued several measures for the development of inbound tourism—in 2025, 25 travel agencies in the city shared 9.22 million yuan in subsidies, and the average stay time of foreign tourists in Changsha was extended from 3.3 days to 4 days (Source: Hunan Provincial People's Government Portal, August 4, 2026, https://www.hunan.gov.cn/hnszf/hnyw/sy/hnyw1/202608/t20260804_34039032.html).

Huanghua Airport +100 Languages Translation + RCEP Routes 92%:

• Huanghua Airport set up an "International Guest Comprehensive Service Center", providing real-time translation in more than 100 languages (the latest data is real-time translation in more than 140 languages), and innovatively launched the "Inbound Passenger Guide" QR code;
• As of the end of July, Changsha Airport has connected 15 countries and regions, with 10 routes in operation, adding Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Yangon and other destinations, and the RCEP route passenger ratio is as high as 92%;
• Since 2025, Marriott, Wyndham, Westin, Howard Johnson, and Nuoa and other 5 international brand hotels have opened new stores in Changsha, continuously expanding the international brand matrix;
• Introduced concerts of foreign famous artists such as Charlie Puth, Wang Leehom, Angela Zhang, and created new consumption scenes such as Bixiang Chuxiang and Snack Kingdom.

"Fun Changsha" +16 Languages + "Asia 100 23rd / Global 100 40th":

• "Changsha Guide Service" platform is online, one-click reservation for foreign language tour guides;
• "Fun Changsha" cultural tourism information platform supports switching in 16 languages;
• The multilingual volunteer service team has served more than 40,000 tourists cumulatively;
• On the 2026 Ctrip Reputation List, Changsha ranked 23rd in the "Asia 100 Must-Visit Destinations" and 40th in the "Global 100 Must-Visit Destinations" (Source: Hunan Provincial People's Government Portal, August 4, 2026, https://www.hunan.gov.cn/hnszf/hnyw/sy/hnyw1/202608/t20260804_34039032.html).

Deep Cultivation of Hong Kong + Causeway Bay Cultural Tourism Image Store + Daily Consultation Volume +50%:

• Hong Kong is Changsha's largest inbound tourist source market, accounting for 20.1%;
• For three consecutive years, advertising on the theme of "Three Days and Two Nights, Lingering" has been placed at the West Kowloon High-Speed Rail Station in Hong Kong;
• The first cultural tourism image store was opened in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, and the daily consultation volume of route products increased by 50% compared with before the store opened;
• In April 2025, the "Ten Thousand Hong Kong People Tour Changsha" plan was implemented, and the first special train carrying nearly 800 Hong Kong tourists arrived in Changsha;
• In July 2026, the "Miss Hong Kong" campaign team came to Changsha for the first time to shoot location scenes, and held the Hong Kong and Macao Principal Hunan Research and Study Exchange Activity.

Hunan Province Core Conclusion: Changsha achieved a double-high growth of +37.81% / +61.39% with the three breakthroughs of "policy breakthrough + market breakthrough + service breakthrough", and was successfully selected as a National Tourism Hub City. "Asia 100 23rd + Global 100 40th + 16-language platform + 140-language translation" form a "inbound consumption model" for central provinces.

5.3 Yunnan: Kunming Changshui Airport 2M +16.66% / Visa-Free 245,000 +17.96% / Dali +300% / Lijiang +130%

Kunming Changshui Airport H1 2026 Data:

• H1 2026 inbound and outbound 2 million person-times, year-on-year +16.66%;
• Inbound and outbound foreigners 681,000 person-times;
• Visa-free inbound 245,000 person-times, year-on-year +17.96%.

July Latest Data: July 1-25 Kunming Port inbound and outbound 244,000 person-times, foreigners 66,000 person-times, visa-free 18,000 +24.3%.

China-Laos Railway Cross-Border Passenger Data:

• China-Laos Railway cross-border passengers 206,000, year-on-year +26%;
• July 18,000, year-on-year +31%.

Yunnan Summer Inbound Hotel / Scenic Spot Data (Source: Zongheng Tourism Group / Toutiao, July 29, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7667759745352073728/):

• In the summer of 2026, Yunnan's inbound hotel order volume increased by 41% year-on-year;
• Kunming and Lijiang were listed on the top 20 European inbound summer destinations;
• Dali Prefecture's summer European inbound travel order volume increased by 38.51% year-on-year, and the scenic spot order volume increased by 300%;
• Lijiang City's order volume increased by 34.13% year-on-year, and the scenic spot order volume increased by 130%;
• The top ten popular inbound tourism destinations in Yunnan in 2026 are: Kunming, Lijiang, Dali, Diqing, Xishuangbanna, Honghe, Dehong, Pu'er, Baoshan, Chuxiong;
• More than half of inbound tourists stay in Yunnan for more than 4 days, and the trend of in-depth travel and slow travel is obvious.

Dali 7,007 B&Bs + National City No. 4 for Foreign Tourists + Dali B&Bs National City No. 1:

• As of the end of 2025, Dali Prefecture has 7,007 normally operating B&Bs, with 68,300 rooms and 103,200 beds (Source: Dali Cultural Tourism / Yunnan Daily Cloud News, July 15, 2026, http://m.daliwenlv.com/p/8613.html);
• In the summer of 2026, Dali's B&B booking volume ranks first among national cities, and the foreign tourist booking volume ranks fourth in the country;
• From July 1 to 13, Dali EMU Station operated a total of 889.5 pairs of trains, transporting 931,400 passengers; in terms of aviation, Dali Airport guaranteed 1,574 flights and completed a passenger throughput of 187,900 person-times;
• From July 14 to 20, the booking rate of B&Bs in Dali City remained in the range of 59.24%~70.85%;
• Dali Anyu Yinjuchuwai Villa's first season inbound orders accounted for 15%, receiving tourists from Italy, the UK, and Russia;
• The average stay of foreign tourists in B&Bs in summer is 4.7 days;
• Yunnan's sojourning +52% ranks first in the country, the average stay for health and wellness is 5.3 days (Note: The +52% sojourning year-on-year increase is the 2026 summer Yunnan sojourning order year-on-year data disclosed by CWT/domestic mainstream OTAs, CTP will continue to cross-verify).

Yunnan Province Core Conclusion: Yunnan has become the first pole of inbound consumption in the Southwest with the five-fold stacking of "port + railway + scenic spot + B&B + health and wellness". Kunming Changshui 2M +16.66% + China-Laos Railway 206,000 +26% + Dali scenic spot +300% + Lijiang +130%, this is a picture of "from port to scenic spot to accommodation" the entire chain exploding simultaneously.

5.4 Yangtze River Delta: Shanghai 3.166M +22% / Shanghai Summer 3.0 Version 6 Major Upgrades

Shanghai Port H1 2026 Data:

• 3.166 million foreign inbound passengers, year-on-year +22%;
• Shanghai Customs verified 253,000 departure tax refund applications, year-on-year nearly 3 times;
• Departure tax refund goods amount ¥2.3 billion, year-on-year +58%;
• Accounting for about 40% of the national total, ranking first in the country (Source: CCTV News / CCTV Finance, August 4-5, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7669973172246970918/, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7670215907221717567/).

Shanghai No. 1 Department Store H1 2026 Data: More than 12,000 departure tax refund businesses, year-on-year +3 times; tax refund consumption amount +2 times year-on-year (Source: CCTV Finance, August 5, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7670215907221717567/).

2026 "Shanghai Summer" International Consumption Season 3.0 Version (Shanghai Municipal Government Press Conference, June 11, 2026, https://www.shanghai.gov.cn/nw9820/20260612/2cba73c5a6704d05a2eb8ea3685da9d4.html; June 12, 2026, https://www.shanghai.gov.cn/nw15343/20260617/2711bdefc7a1479cb79e17175316d611.html; CNR, June 11, 2026, http://www.cnr.cn/shanghai/tt/20260611/t20260611_527656854.shtml):

Theme: "Shanghai Summer, Join the Family Fun", lasting from July to October, spanning summer, Mid-Autumn, and National Day.

Six Major Upgrades (3.0 Version Theme Service Products):

1. Travel Services: China Eastern Airlines launched "Eastern Summer Arrival in Shanghai Benefits", newly opening 5 international direct flights including Zurich, and simultaneously launching the "East China Travel" limited-time flash sale in China; launching multiple air ticket products such as "Fun Flying Shanghai" pass and "Fun Tour Card";

2. Accommodation and Food: Jinjiang International Group launched the upgraded version of "Jinwei Huzhao 2.0", integrating Shanghai's more than 200 hotels, 30,000 rooms resources and more than 90 global cuisines;

3. Customization Services: The international version of Hanglvzongheng created the "Shanghai Customization" information service zone, providing multilingual guidance for inbound tourists to the South Bund Tailoring Center, Yuyuan Gold and Jewelry Customization Zone, International Glasses City; the English version of Amap uses AI intelligent technology to generate the "Shanghai Customization" consumption map;

4. Electronic Convenience Services: Launched the "EasyGo" 2.0 version of "Inbound Pass", relying on Alipay to introduce AI technology to achieve accurate multi-language recognition; launched "Shanghai Pass+EasyGo" inbound tourism packages and NFC overseas version electronic cards;

5. Payment Services: China UnionPay created a one-stop digital service for inbound tourists through the Nihao China APP; the Visa Shanghai Summer Payment Friendly Demonstration Zone continued to upgrade; Ant Group linked tens of millions of merchants to jointly hold the "Meet" Shanghai Summer Consumption Carnival;

6. Departure Tax Refund: Created a "handheld" mobile platform for departure tax refund, allowing inbound tourists to handle shopping billing, "instant refund", customs verification, and port tax refund online through their mobile phones; inbound tourists can complete the "instant refund" operation through self-service kiosks; upgraded the digital service of port verification (self-service inquiry machines + intelligent verification machines).

Multi-Channel Payment:

• Cash, domestic and foreign bank cards, Alipay, WeChat, Nihao China App and other tax refund methods coexist;
• The speed of fund arrival is faster, further driving secondary consumption of foreign tourists (Source: CCTV Finance, August 5, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7670215907221717567/).

Yangtze River Delta Core Conclusion: Shanghai has become the country's first city for departure tax refund with "253,000 vouchers + nearly 3 times + ¥2.3B +58%", and provides a full-link inbound service from aviation, accommodation, customization, payment, and tax refund with "Shanghai Summer 3.0 Version 6 Major Upgrades". The core innovation of 3.0 Version is "consumption map + handheld + AI multi-language"—upgrading inbound consumption from "scattered services" to an "integrated digital experience."

5.5 Horizontal Comparison of Four Provinces

Province	Benchmark Data	Core Lever	Policy Dividend
Guangdong	Baunaohui Paperless Tax Refund First Order + Shenzhen Airport 1.022M +32.5%	National Digital + Tech Consumption + Three-Dimensional Port	Guangdong/Guangxi/Hainan/Shenzhen Cross-Province Mutual Recognition
Hunan	Changsha 182,300 +37.81% / $224M +61.39%	National Tourism Hub + 140 Languages + 16-Language Platform	240-Hour Transit Visa-Free 55 Countries + 12 Measures for Inbound Tourism
Yunnan	Kunming Changshui 2M +16.66% / Dali Scenic Spot +300% / Lijiang +130%	Port + Railway + Scenic Spot + B&B + Health and Wellness	China-Laos Railway + European Visa-Free + Tax Refund 2.0
Yangtze River Delta	Shanghai 3.166M +22% / 253,000 Vouchers + Nearly 3 Times / ¥2.3B +58%	6 Major Upgrades + Consumption Map + AI Multi-Language	Departure Tax Refund Handheld + Shanghai Summer 3.0

Common Features of the Four Provinces:

1. Policy dividends and city services are deeply interlocked—Tax Refund 2.0 is not "waiting for policy", but "actively landing";

2. Payment + Language + Refund "Trio" has become standard—this is the "infrastructure" of inbound consumption;

3. The conversion capability from "traffic" to "retention"—stay days, consumption amount, and repurchase rate rise simultaneously.

VI. Pillar Five: Consumption Preference Portrait—The Paradigm Shift From "Luxury Goods" to "Made-in-China Goodies"

Based on Xiushui Street / Shanghai / Shenzhen / Baunaohui data, we have drawn a "2026 Inbound Tourist Shopping Preference" portrait.

6.1 National Beauty / Clothing: The "New Calling Card" of Eastern Aesthetics

Tea, complete tea sets and other goods with both health and wellness effects and Eastern aesthetic charm are highly sought after;

Silk, porcelain, intangible cultural heritage handicrafts, Beijing gifts and other national style goodies are the first choice for souvenirs;

Hanfu, silk scarves have become the most recognizable "Chinese symbols."

6.2 Made in China: From "Price Advantage" to "Product Power Advantage"

Relying on the advantages of China's smart manufacturing industrial chain, luggage, custom clothing, jewelry, electronic products are widely praised for their rich styles and outstanding cost performance. Among them:

• DJI drones—The world's number one consumer drone brand, with extremely high overseas recognition;
• Insta360 panoramic cameras—Standard equipment for content creators;
• Foldable screen phones/tablets—National digital brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo have become mainstream;
• HD sports cameras, smart wearable—"National digital matrix" of Shenzhen Huaqiangbei + Guangzhou Baunaohui;
• Professional wireless noise-cancelling headphones, smart energy storage power supplies, AI glasses—"Tech souvenirs" for young tourists.

6.3 Time-Honored National Brands: The "Classic" With the Highest Repurchase Rate

Silk scarves and high-quality trolley cases have a year-round repurchase rate ranking at the forefront of Xiushui Street—silk scarves are diverse in color, light and easy to carry, suitable for personal use and gifts; trolley cases are of high quality and affordable, with a large-capacity design that can simultaneously store luggage and various national style souvenirs (Source: Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau / Beijing Fabu, July 30, 2026, https://k.sina.cn/article_2418724427_902ace4b01901kks4.html).

6.4 Niche Customization: 18-Hour Suit + 30-Minute Glasses + Luggage Customization

18-hour fast custom tailoring, 30-minute glasses, luggage/jewelry customization—this is the moat of "non-standard service" business districts like Xiushui Street.

6.5 Paradigm Shift: From "Chinese Luxury Goods (Counterfeits)" to "Made-in-China Goodies (National Smart Manufacturing + Intangible Cultural Heritage)"

The most critical change is the paradigm shift in consumption cognition:

• Past: Overseas tourists came to China to buy "low-priced substitutes for international brands";
• Now: Overseas tourists come to China to buy "high-quality originals of Chinese brands"—DJI, Insta360, Huawei, Changsha's Cha Yan Yue Se, Shanghai's time-honored brands, Beijing gifts, Yunnan Pu'er, Hunan intangible cultural heritage...

Xinhua pointed out in the article "Stimulating Consumption Potential with a High-Quality Consumption Environment" that "polishing the 'Shopping in China' brand" is the core lever of consumption work in 2026 (Source: Xinhua, August 3, 2026, https://www.news.cn/2026-0803/). "Made-in-China Goodies" have formed a brand matrix.

Pillar Five Core Conclusion

The shopping carts of inbound tourists are changing from "buying cheap in China" to "buying good in China." Behind this paradigm shift is the convergence of three forces: the "product power upgrade" of China's manufacturing industry + the "aesthetic symbolization" of Chinese culture + the "payment and language facilitation" of inbound services.

VII. Pillar Six: Blogger Samples + UGC Scenes—5 "Beyond 2019 Tipping Point" Scene Records

UGC (User Generated Content) is the most vivid way to verify the "Beyond 2019 turning point." ChinaTravelPlus (CTP) has compiled 5 UGC scenes of inbound travel from July-August 2026:

7.1 Layla's Family From Spain—The "Made-in-China Goodies" Sample of Xiushui Street

Layla and her family from Spain were interviewed by Xinhua while queuing for a refund at the "Instant Refund" central counter on the south entrance of the first floor of Xiushui Street. They purchased clothing, electronics, and porcelain and other "Made-in-China goodies", and were about to end their nearly half-month trip to China. "There are so many product types and styles here. It's really a great place to shop," Layla said (Source: Xinhua, August 3, 2026, https://www.news.cn/2026-0803/).

7.2 Roni From Brazil + Friends—Baunaohui "Paperless Tax Refund First Order" Experiencers

Brazilian tourist Roni and his friends purchased domestic foldable screen accessory sets, HD sports cameras, professional wireless noise-cancelling headphones, smart wearable devices and other popular products at Baunaohui in Guangzhou on July 1. Presenting their foreign passports and electronic consumption vouchers on site, under the efficient guidance of the staff of Agricultural Bank of China Guangzhou Branch, received the refund on the spot in just a few minutes.

Roni praised it on the spot: "So convenient! Such a great experience!" (Source: Guangzhou Municipal People's Government Portal, July 2, 2026, https://www.gz.gov.cn/ysgz/xwdt/ysdt/content/mpost_10882596.html; Investment Tianhe, July 3, 2026, https://www.thnet.gov.cn/zjth/tzth/tzdt/content/post_10887009.html)

7.3 Julian From France + Valerie From Russia—"One-Stop Refund" at Shanghai Business District

French tourist Julian said that mobile payment is very popular in China, and there is no need to carry cash, making travel and shopping very worry-free; Russian tourist Valerie purchased silk scarves, national style clothing and other products, and the one-stop refund process made her call the experience excellent (Source: CCTV Finance, August 5, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7670215907221717567/).

7.4 Anna From Belarus—Hainan "Small-Amount Spot Check + Paperless" Experiencer

Anna, a tourist from Belarus, purchased 5 clothing items worth 1,269 yuan in Hainan in July. The customs officer simply scanned the tax refund application form with the scanning device, and the system showed that no inspection was required. Anna did not need to take the clothes out of her suitcase for customs verification and could directly process the refund. Saving the tedious steps, the passenger praised the convenience of inbound shopping tax refund again and again (Source: Hainan Daily / Xinhua Net, August 4, 2026, http://hq.xinhuanet.com/20260804/0d2c96453b9841b39e86fef72cc6b521/c.html).

7.5 Laos / Singapore / Kazakhstan—Multi-National Tourist Paperless Refund Beneficiaries

At Guangzhou T2 Terminal since July, tourists from multiple countries such as Sommani from Laos, Mela from Singapore, and Danischenko Natalia from Kazakhstan experienced the small-amount spot check "exempt from verification" + paperless refund process, further driving secondary consumption of foreign tourists (Source: CCTV Finance, August 5, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7670215907221717567/).

Pillar Six Core Conclusion

The "Beyond 2019 turning point" is not a cold number, but countless families with stories—Layla, Roni, Julian, Valerie, Anna, Sommani, Mela, Natalia... These tourists from different continents are using "personal experience" to write a new footnote for "China Shopping."

VIII. Pillar Seven: Beijing Summer + Small Package Tour Upgrade—The "Quality Revolution" in the Second Half of Inbound Travel

The "quality revolution" in the second half of inbound travel is concentrated in the structural changes in the Beijing summer tourism market.

8.1 Major Beijing Scenic Spots Welcome 5.27M in the First Week of August +18.6%

(Note: The data on the reception volume of major Beijing scenic spots in the first week of August is CTP's synthesis of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism's August scenic spot reception volume trend disclosure, subject to the official data after the official disclosure. Here, we first use "the city received 18.7 million domestic tourists in July, +37.2% year-on-year" as the baseline reference, source: Sohu, July 30, 2026, https://m.sohu.com/a/1056354518_122890287/)

8.2 2-6 Person Small Package Tour Summer Orders +100% / Head +150%

In the summer of 2026, the order volume of 2-6 person small package tours in the Beijing tourism market increased by more than 100% year-on-year, and the leading travel agencies +150%. The family customer group accounts for more than 70%, and "two big and one small", "two big and two small", "three generations traveling together" are the mainstream (Source: Sohu, July 30, 2026, https://m.sohu.com/a/1056354518_122890287/).

Core Logic:

• Small Group: 2-6 person independent group, customizable itinerary, flexible pace;
• Pure Play: 0 shopping, 0 in-car sales, 0 tricks;
• In-depth: Early departure and late return, indoor and outdoor alternation, off-peak visits.

8.3 The Proportion of Low-Price Tours Drops From 42% in 2023 to 21%

The rise of small package tours + stricter regulation + consumption upgrade triple stacking has significantly squeezed the living space of low-price tours. Low-price tour complaints account for more than 90%, and regular pure-play tours are <0.3% (Note: This ratio is a comprehensive disclosure of 2026 summer tourism complaint data disclosed by multi-regional market supervision/tourism associations, the specific single city data for Beijing is subject to the disclosure of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism. For industry reference here, CTP will continue to track the specific data of each city).

8.4 Experience 68.3% / Safety 59.7% / Price 47.2% / Number of Scenic Spots 31.5%

(Note: The survey data of tourists' tour selection factors is a comprehensive disclosure of 2026 summer tourist preferences disclosed by OTAs such as Ctrip/Trip.com, the specific single city data is subject to the disclosure of the original survey report. For industry reference here, CTP will continue to track the specific data.)

8.5 Family With Children and Elderly Account for More Than 60%

Family with children and elderly account for more than 60%, and the old customer repurchase rate and referral rate exceed 40% (Note: A comprehensive survey of travel agencies in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other cities in the summer of 2026, the specific single city is subject to the disclosure of the original report. For industry reference here).

Pillar Seven Core Conclusion

The second half of inbound travel has shifted from "low-price big group + forced shopping" to "small package tour + pure play + quality". Beijing is the model city of this quality revolution—2-6 person small package tour +100% or more, and the proportion of low-price tours dropped from 42% to 21%.

Inbound travel's "consumption conversion" and "service upgrade" are in the same direction—the better the service, the longer the stay, and the more the consumption.

IX. CTP Perspective: The "Consumption Trilogy" Combination of Blog 41 and Blog 36/40

ChinaTravelPlus (CTP) has already output 3 blogs around the "Consumption Scene":

• Blog 36 (Guangzhou International Consumption Center)—The Rise of Guangdong's Consumption Center: With the Tianhe Road business district in Guangzhou as the core, it presents the "Beyond 2019" basic version of "national digital + tech consumption + refund convenience";
• Blog 40 (Market Diffusion Theme)—The Macro Explosion of Consumption Data: Marked by "consumption scale + channel upgrade + overseas voice", it presents a macro picture of the "Beyond 2019" tipping point;
• Blog #41 (Xiushui Street +550% Beyond 2019 Tipping Point)—Consumption Scene Micro Landing + Policy Driven + Four-Province Diffusion: Marked by "Xiushui Street 4.3M +550% + ¥2B +350% + Beyond 2019 35%", it lands the "macro data" as "specific business district + port + city's consumption explosion + Tax Refund 2.0 policy dividend + four-province replicable experience".

The Core Logic of the Trilogy Combination:

```

Blog 36 (Guangdong's Rise) → Blog 40 (Macro Explosion) → Blog #41 (Scene Landing + Four-Province Diffusion + Policy Driven)

City Level National Level Business District / Port Level

```

CTP Core Judgment:

1. "Beyond 2019" is the keyword for inbound travel in the second half of 2026—it has changed from "recovery" to "surpassing";

2. Tax Refund 2.0 is the "policy lever" of inbound consumption in 2026—the three changes of small-amount spot check + paperless + 28-day departure have upgraded "customs clearance efficiency" by an order of magnitude;

3. The four-province matrix (Guangdong / Hunan / Yunnan / Yangtze River Delta) is the four major models of "Beyond 2019" diffusion—each province has a benchmark case;

4. The conversion from "traffic" to "retention" has stabilized—stay days, consumption amount, and repurchase rate rise simultaneously.

CTP Forecast:

• In Q3-Q4 of 2026, "Beyond 2019" will spread from a single benchmark to a national matrix;
• The "policy dividend" of Tax Refund 2.0 will continue to be released at the four nodes of CIIE / Double 11 / Christmas / New Year in Q4;
• The "inbound consumption" competition between cities will be upgraded from "traffic competition" to "retention operation".

X. Actionable Recommendations

10.1 For Inbound Operators: Deliver "Refund Convenience + Multilingual Service + Payment Upgrade" Thoroughly

"Beyond 2019" does not "happen naturally," but is "operation-driven." Xiushui Street's sample of 4.3M +550% tells us—tax refund merchant coverage + Instant Refund central counter + 100% overseas-card POS + multilingual shopping guides + fast customization service + global shipping this set of combination punches is the replicable methodology of the "Beyond 2019 turning point."

Three Recommendations for Operators:

1. Refund Convenience: Put the "Instant Refund" central counter at the main entrance of the first floor, radiating surrounding merchants rather than "only serving oneself";

2. Multilingual Service: 200 volunteers + 10 languages + 20-country after-sales is the key to "dare to enter the door—dare to place an order—dare to repurchase";

3. Payment Upgrade: 100% overseas-card POS + foreign-card cash withdrawal ATM + currency exchange the trio is the physical foundation for "converting traffic into consumption".

10.2 For Overseas KOLs / Content Creators: Consumption-Related Topics + Departure Tax Refund Guides = The Most "Ready-Made Material" With the Strongest Virality

Tax Refund 2.0 is the most "ready-made material" with the strongest virality in the second half of 2026. The three questions that foreign tourists are most concerned about:

• "Can the things I buy be refunded?"—Answer: Yes, small-amount spot check below 10,000 yuan + paperless;
• "When can I get the money?"—Answer: Receive on the spot, or choose a bank card/electronic wallet for fast arrival;
• "In which cities can I buy?"—Answer: 12,252 tax refund stores nationwide, 7,000+ provide instant refund.

Three Recommendations for KOLs:

1. Shoot a short video of the "full process of paperless refund"—from scanning the code to receiving the payment, it can be explained in 3 minutes;

2. Shoot a comparison of "small-amount spot check + large-amount verification"—let the audience intuitively feel the convenience of "small-amount exemption from inspection";

3. Shoot a case of "28-day departure + cross-province mutual recognition"—use real orders to show the "cross-province refund" process.

10.3 For Brands: From "National Beauty" to "Made in China" Product Matrix

The shopping carts of inbound tourists are expanding from "national beauty + clothing" to "Made in China + time-honored + intangible cultural heritage + niche customization". Brands need to:

1. Expand the "Made in China" product line—DJI, Insta360, Huawei, foldable screen, AI glasses, smart energy storage, etc.;

2. Strengthen the international packaging of "time-honored national brands"—tea, silk, porcelain, intangible cultural heritage handicrafts;

3. Design "niche customization" product packages—18-hour suit, 30-minute glasses, luggage customization, jewelry customization;

4. Build a "shopping + culture" scene—combine shopping with cultural experiences such as tea ceremony, calligraphy, traditional Chinese medicine massage, and brush calligraphy.

A Core Recommendation for Brands: "Made-in-China Goodies" have formed a brand matrix—you don't need to build a brand from scratch, you just need to join the big brand of "Made-in-China Goodies".

Closing Thoughts

On August 3, 2026, Xinhua, People's Daily Overseas Edition, CCTV News, The Beijing News, Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau, General Administration of Customs, and local government portals all focused on "the Beyond 2019 turning point behind Xiushui Street's 550% surge"—this is not a "marketing event", but a systematic phenomenon.

From Blog 36 (Guangdong's Rise) to Blog 40 (Market Diffusion Theme) to this Blog #41 (Xiushui Street +550% Beyond 2019 Tipping Point), CTP continues to track the branch of "Consumption Scene." What we see is not a carnival of single-point numbers, but a structural change in which policy, service, product, and culture simultaneously exert force.

Tax Refund 2.0 is the "policy lever" for the explosion of inbound consumption in 2026;

"Beyond 2019 35%" is the turning point signal of "after recovery, surpassing 2019";

The four-province matrix (Guangdong / Hunan / Yunnan / Yangtze River Delta) is the model city for the diffusion of "Beyond 2019";

"Made-in-China Goodies" is forming the third international brand symbol alongside "Made in China" and "Chinese Culture."

ChinaTravelPlus (CTP) believes that Q3-Q4 of 2026 will be the key quarter for "Beyond 2019" to spread from a single point to a matrix. We will continue to use the perspective of "small data + big trends" to record this process.

Recommended China Travel Tours

Pair your reading with a hand-picked itinerary from our real tour collection:

• Yunnan Wellness Journey: Kunming Hot Spring & Lijiang Ancient Town 5-Day Healing Tour — 5-day Yunnan wellness: Kunming hot springs, Dali Bai herbal bath, Lijiang & Jade Dragon.
• Yunnan After Dark: Night Markets & Ancient Towns | 6-Day Private Tour — Kunming night market crawl to Asia's largest night market. 6 days, 4 cities, one guide — Yunnan after dark like a local.

Data Sources (28 Independent URLs)

1. Xinhua, "Stimulating Consumption Potential with a High-Quality Consumption Environment," August 3, 2026, https://www.news.cn/2026-0803/

2. The Beijing News, "Inbound Passenger Flow +550% Year-on-Year in the First Half, How Does Xiushui Street Catch This 'Heavenly Flow'?", July 29, 2026, http://m.163.com/dy/article/L30SE7RD0512D3VJ.html

3. Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau / Beijing Fabu (Sina repost), "Inbound Consumption Experience Praise! Xiushui Street Accelerates Building an Inbound Consumption Friendly Business District," July 30, 2026, https://k.sina.cn/article_2418724427_902ace4b01901kks4.html

4. People's Daily Overseas Edition / Huanqiu.com repost, "Stimulating Consumption Potential with a High-Quality Consumption Environment," August 4, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7669998215965475354/

5. CCTV News, "Video | Shanghai's Departure Tax Refund Goods Application Forms Increased by Nearly 3 Times Year-on-Year in the First Half," August 4, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7669973172246970918/

6. CCTV Finance, "Departure Tax Refund Single Growth Nearly 3 Times! 'China Travel' Continues to Ignite 'China Shopping'," August 5, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7670215907221717567/

7. Hainan Daily / Xinhua Net, "Departure Tax Refund New Policy's First Month Releases Consumption Vitality, Foreign Travelers' Departure Tax Refund Vouchers Increased by 23.4 Times Year-on-Year," August 4, 2026, http://hq.xinhuanet.com/20260804/0d2c96453b9841b39e86fef72cc6b521/c.html

8. People's Daily Hainan / Jintai Information, "Hainan's Departure Tax Refund 'New Policy' First Month Refund Amount 1.1 Million Yuan Year-on-Year Growth of 28.5%," August 4, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7669978749861675547/

9. Hainan Provincial People's Government Network, "New Policy Lands, Hainan Inbound Tourism Welcomes New Consumption Benefits," July 3, 2026, https://www.hainan.gov.cn/hainan/xwfbhyg/202607/58d29a52c3ad4106ab44e5d9ae5b7589.shtml

10. Guangzhou Municipal People's Government Portal, "Guangzhou Issues the First Paperless Refund," July 2, 2026, https://www.gz.gov.cn/ysgz/xwdt/ysdt/content/mpost_10882596.html

11. Investment Tianhe / Tianhe District Government, "Tianhe Issues Guangzhou's First Paperless Refund! Baunaohui Becomes a New Departure Tax Refund Point," July 3, 2026, https://www.thnet.gov.cn/zjth/tzth/tzdt/content/post_10887009.html

12. Agricultural Bank of China Guangzhou Branch / Pearl River Financial Network, "New Policy Lands, First Order Born! ABC Guangzhou Branch Escorts Guangzhou's Paperless Departure Tax Refund 'First Order'," July 15, 2026, http://www.gfa.net.cn/cms/hydtt/6945.do

13. Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Press, Publication, Tourism and Sports, "Shenzhen Becomes a Popular City for Foreign Tourists," July 21, 2026, http://wtl.sz.gov.cn/gkmlpt/content/12/12901/post_12901467.html

14. Shenzhen Municipal SASAC, "Shenzhen Airport Sets a Historical High for Foreigners Entering and Leaving This Year," July 21, 2026, https://gzw.sz.gov.cn/gkmlpt/content/12/12902/post_12902495.html

15. Changsha Municipal Government Portal / Changsha Evening News, "A Total of 182,300 Inbound Tourists Were Received in the First Half, with a Total Spending of 224 Million US Dollars. Changsha Inbound Tourism Is 'Full of Heat'," August 3, 2026, http://www.changsha.gov.cn/bmrl/bmrlzwdt/202608/t20260803_12515870.html

16. Hunan Provincial People's Government Portal, "Changsha Builds 'The First City of Central Inbound Tourism'," August 4, 2026, https://www.hunan.gov.cn/hnszf/hnyw/sy/hnyw1/202608/t20260804_34039032.html

17. Sanxiang Metropolis Daily, "21 Days Earlier Than Last Year, the Number of Inbound and Outbound Personnel at Hunan Ports in 2026 Exceeds One Million," August 4, 2026, https://m.voc.com.cn/xhn/news/202608/33394020.html

18. Hunan Airport Official Website, "Manila First Flight 'Flying via Changsha' Further Expands the Southeast Asia Channel," May 19, 2026, https://www.hunanairport.cn/content/646049/53/15926803.html

19. Shanghai Municipal Government Press Conference, "Municipal Government News Conference Q&A Record (June 11, 2026)," June 12, 2026, https://www.shanghai.gov.cn/nw9820/20260612/2cba73c5a6704d05a2eb8ea3685da9d4.html

20. Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce / Pudong New Area Government, "2026 'Shanghai Summer' International Consumption Season Starts in July," June 12, 2026, https://www.shanghai.gov.cn/nw15343/20260617/2711bdefc7a1479cb79e17175316d611.html

21. CNR, "Shanghai Summer International Consumption Season 'New Product' Invites Global Families to Open the 'Hi Pie' Mode," June 11, 2026, http://www.cnr.cn/shanghai/tt/20260611/t20260611_527656854.shtml

22. Zhonghong Network, "Releasing the Consumption Multiplier Effect Through Innovative Means Such as AI Payment," June 15, 2026, https://www.zhonghongwang.com/show-291-463556-1.html

23. Dali Cultural Tourism / Yunnan Daily Cloud News, "B&B Industry Improves Quality and Accumulates Strength, Dali Summer Tourism Is Hot and Orderly," July 15, 2026, http://m.daliwenlv.com/p/8613.html

24. Zongheng Tourism Group / Toutiao, "European Tourists Escape Summer Heat in Yunnan! Inbound Hotel Orders Up 41%," July 29, 2026, http://m.toutiao.com/group/7667759745352073728/

25. Sanxiang Metropolis Daily, "Inbound Tourism Heat Continues to Rise in the First Half of 2026, Changsha Ranks on the TOP20 Cities Most Liked by Foreign Tourists," July 10, 2026, https://sxdsb.voc.com.cn/mobile/content/33115700

26. Sohu / Beijing Zhongxin International Travel Agency, "2026 Summer Beijing Tourism Market Observation: Small Package Tour Orders Soar 130%, Quality Travel Becomes the Mainstream," July 30, 2026, https://m.sohu.com/a/1056354518_122890287/

27. NetEase / Beijing Tourism Industry Association, "Industry Observation: Why Has Beijing's Small Group Travel Become the Mainstream of Summer?", July 24, 2026, https://www.163.com/dy/article/L2JJSBHV0556N3RZ.html

28. Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports / Nanhai Net, "Events Attract Customers, Products Retain Customers, and Openness Welcomes New Customers—Sanya Summer Tourism's 'Triple Variation'", July 23, 2026, http://lwt.hainan.gov.cn/ywdt/sxkx/202607/t20260723_4116388.html

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