Chongqing - On May 3, the Chongqing General Station of Immigration Inspection reported that from May 1 to 5, the number of inbound travelers at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is expected to reach 18,000.

In Chongqing Liangjiang New Area, The Ring Mall (the Ring) blends ecological elements with commercial space, creating a unique urban-nature community. Among its highlights is the 42-meter-tall indoor urban green park, which has become a major attraction for international visitors.

Foreign tourists flock to the Ring Mall, which strikes a balance between urban scenery and natural beauty. (Photo/Lan Tian)

Avidar, a tourist from Jordan, said that the park has become popular on international social media, which inspired him to visit in person. Seeing the unique scenery with his own eyes left a fantastic impression on him.

Philipp, a tourist from Germany, used mobile payment to purchase a drink at the Heytea store, one of China’s popular beverage brands, in The Ring. He said China’s convenient payment methods made the entire shopping process highly efficient, greatly enhancing the ease of shopping for global visitors.

With China expanding its 240-hour visa-free transit policy and signing mutual visa exemption agreements with multiple countries, international tourism and shopping in Chongqing are gaining momentum. On April 2, popular influencer IShowSpeed live-streamed Chongqing’s landscapes and vibrant "Citywalk" atmosphere to a global audience, winning widespread international affection. As of May 3, his Chongqing Livestream had garnered 9.3 million views on YouTube.

According to a travel forecast report released by Trip.com, inbound travel orders to Chongqing during the May Day holiday increased by 193% year-on-year.

As international visitor numbers continue to climb, Chongqing’s consumption potential is being increasingly realized. According to the Chongqing Municipal Tax Service, departure tax refunds in the city surged nearly fivefold in the first quarter of 2025. The latest policy further improves the refund system by lowering the minimum purchase threshold from 500 yuan (approximately 68.76 USD) to 200 yuan, offering greater savings for international shoppers.

Yang Ye, Deputy Section Chief of the Goods and Services Tax Department at Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Tax Service, stated that to enhance the efficiency and convenience of the tax refund process, the administration will optimize the interconnectivity between tax refund and invoice data, streamline billing procedures, and improve verification speed.