Ningbo rolls out digital tax refund map for international shoppers

A French tourist takes advantage of the tax refund service. [Photo/Yongpai App]

Ningbo has launched a new digital tax refund map, making shopping more convenient for overseas visitors and helping them more easily locate tax refund stores across the city.

On July 7, British tourist John used the map to find Ningbo Hankyu Department Store while shopping for electronics. "The navigation was accurate and the English interface was easy to use," he said.

The newly launched Ningbo Departure Tax Refund Map, developed by the Ningbo tax service, integrates information on all departure tax refund stores and in-store tax refund outlets in the city. Foreign visitors can access the map by scanning QR codes displayed at tourist attractions or through the official "Ningbo Tax" WeChat account.

The map provides real-time navigation, service hotlines, and instant switching between Chinese and English.

The launch follows Ningbo's implementation of the in-store tax refund policy in May 2025, which allows overseas shoppers to receive tax refunds directly in stores for purchases of 200 yuan ($29.42) or more instead of waiting until departure at the airport.

According to local tax authorities, Ningbo's departure tax refund sales reached 41.55 million yuan in the first half of 2026, up 96.51 percent year-on-year, while tax refunds totaled 2.78 million yuan, an increase of 116.52 percent, highlighting growing inbound consumption.