Shenzhen airport processes ￥198m in departure tax refunds in first 10 months

Travelers visit a departure tax refund counter at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport. The airport's customs authority processed 198 million yuan (US$27.7 million) in tax refunds in the first 10 months of this year, up 82.2% year on year. Photos by Shenzhen Evening News

The customs authority at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport processed 198 million yuan (US$27.7 million) in departure tax refunds in the first 10 months of this year, up 82.2% year on year, according to Shenzhen Customs.

The figures come as Shenzhen prepares to host this year’s APEC meetings next week, with authorities enhancing services for international visitors.

“I bought quite a few souvenirs during my trip to Shenzhen, and was worried the tax refund process would be complicated and cause me to miss my flight,” said Kustiyah, an Indonesian traveler who completed the customs verification process at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport on Nov. 8. “The staff gave clear instructions, and it only took a few minutes. It was a great experience, and I’ll come back.”

A tax-free shopping sign and instructions for claiming refunds are displayed at a store in Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport. The city has been improving tax refund services to make shopping more convenient for international visitors.

Shenzhen Bao’an Airport Customs has set up a dedicated tax refund verification counter in the international departure hall and installed multilingual self-service terminals, allowing travelers to submit refund declarations and complete verification on their own.

The service uses a digital system developed by Shenzhen Customs that matches each refund application with the corresponding goods and identification code. Applications involving amounts below 10,000 yuan are subject to random inspections. These measures allow verification to be completed earlier in the process, reducing the time required for manual checks and improving efficiency for international travelers.

To prepare for the arrival of charter and official flights, business jets and conference delegations, airport customs and other port authorities have also revised passenger clearance arrangements. Dedicated VIP lanes and information and declaration desks will serve APEC delegates, media representatives and holders of APEC Business Travel Cards.

“We will continue refining our plans for customs clearance arrangements during the APEC meetings, and support the smooth running of the event,” said Ma Honghui, director of the administrative office of Shenzhen Bao’an Airport Customs.