Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region implemented a shopping tax refund policy for foreign tourists on Dec 11, essentially giving overseas tourists a shopping discount.

The tax refund policy was first piloted in Nanning, Guilin and Fangchenggang, and will be introduced in other cities in the future. The first 33 tax refund shops have already been selected. Among them are 15 shops in Nanning, nine in Guilin and nine in Fangchenggang. Three tax refund agencies have been selected as well: Bank of China Guangxi Branch, Guilin Bank and Guangxi Beibu Gulf Bank.

The tax refund agency outlets are located at Nanning Wuxu International Airport, Guilin Liangjiang International Airport and Dongxing Port.

The Guangxi government plans to expand the scope of the pilot program to provide more tourism products and better tourism services for overseas tourists in Guangxi, as well as promote the economic and social development of the region.

In recent years, with the strengthening of the country's reform and opening up policies and the deepening of China-ASEAN cooperation, Guangxi's economic development, especially in the tourism industry, has ushered in many new opportunities.

In 2017, Guangxi received 523 million tourists from home and abroad, up 27.9 percent year-on-year, and earned a total of 558.04 billion yuan ($80.78 billion) from tourist consumption, up 33.1 percent year-on-year. Among these were 5.12 million inbound tourists, a year-on-year increase of 6.2 percent, who spent $2.396 billion in the region, an increase of 10.7 percent. The rapid development of the tourism industry has propelled Guangxi's economic and social development.

Guangxi's landscapes, culture and folk customs are its main attractions. The shopping tax refund policy provides an extra incentive for people from all over the world to travel to Guangxi, thus enhancing the region's attractiveness and popularity.

Tour boats sail the Lijiang River in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo/chinanews.com]

In addition, the policy will encourage foreign tourists to do more shopping in Guangxi and increase exports of Guangxi-related products.