Chongqing - "No paper documents were needed. I completed the entire tax refund process with just one QR code. It was really convenient," the visitor from Laos said in Chongqing's Jiefangbei on August 5.
Jiefangbei, a central business and shopping area built around Chongqing's People's Liberation Monument, is often the first stop for overseas visitors exploring the city. Official data showed Chongqing received 1.448 million inbound tourist visits in the first half of 2026.
International tourists shop for toys at Raffles City Chongqing. (Photo/Zheng Ran)
The growth comes as China seeks to convert rising visitor numbers into consumer spending. In March, the Ministry of Commerce and eight other central government departments issued 16 measures to expand inbound consumption and improve services for international travelers.
Payment access is one focus. At Chongqing Times Square, bilingual signs and screens direct overseas shoppers, while Singaporean visitors can use OCBC digital wallets to scan Chinese payment codes. Elsewhere, tourists can link international bank cards to Chinese mobile payment platforms.
"I used to swipe my credit card, enter a password and wait for the transaction slip, which took at least one or two minutes," said Anna, an international visitor who linked her Visa card to Alipay with help from a store employee. "Now I just scan with my phone."
For Anna, the change was not limited to purchases at major fashion stores. She said the same QR code payment option could be used for a cup of milk tea, a local souvenir, or a taxi ride, allowing her to move through the shopping district without repeatedly looking for cash or a card terminal.
"That level of convenience means you hardly feel like you are traveling in another country. Jiefangbei really feels like an international shopping district," she said.
Jiefangbei currently accepts 13 overseas digital wallets from 10 countries and regions via a system that enables foreign e-wallets to operate on Chinese QR code networks. A separate card-linking service supports seven major international card organizations. Card payments, currency exchange and cash withdrawals are also available at selected stores, hotels, restaurants and banks.
Tax refunds are another tool. Under China's "instant refund upon purchase" program, eligible departing travelers can receive an advance equal to the expected tax refund while still shopping, instead of waiting until departure.
At a DJI-authorized store, a manager said a Pro-series drone cost just over 4,000 yuan (about 592.8 U.S. dollars) after the refund, while a comparable model in the United States was nearly twice as expensive. At a copperware store, the manager said overseas sales rose significantly after the minimum eligible purchase was lowered from 500 yuan to 200 yuan, allowing smaller souvenirs such as zodiac ornaments and copper-foil bookmarks to qualify.
Visitors enjoy tea at Daqi Teahouse in the Chaotianmen business district in Yuzhong District, Chongqing. (Photo/Zheng Ran)
More than two-thirds of Yuzhong District's 40-plus tax-refund stores are concentrated along Jiefangbei's main shopping streets.
The system also extends beyond Chongqing. Refund records are recognized in Sichuan, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, allowing travelers to shop in Chongqing and continue their journeys before completing departure procedures elsewhere. The arrangement grew from coordination between Chongqing and Chengdu under China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy.
Third-party data showed that inbound consumption in Jiefangbei totaled about 735 million yuan from January through May, covering shopping, accommodation, dining, and transportation. Local officials said the area will continue developing shopping landmarks linking Jiefangbei with the nearby Chaotianmen riverfront.