by XIN Yuan

China's consumption market gained momentum in 2025, led by a sharp rise in inbound spending and a continued recovery in tourism, according to official data cited by state media CCTV.

The State Taxation Administration said measures to improve shopping for overseas visitors — including lower departure tax-refund thresholds, higher cash refund caps and wider use of instant refunds at purchase — have begun to unlock demand.

The number of overseas travelers claiming departure tax refunds surged 305% year on year, while sales of tax-refunded goods rose 95.9% and refund amounts increased 95.8%, the data showed.

By the end of November, China had 12,252 approved tax-refund stores nationwide, with more than 7,000 offering instant refunds. Over 9,100 stores were added during the year.

Draft proposals under the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) call for expanding inbound consumption and developing international consumption hub cities. The finance and commerce ministries said about 15 pilot cities will be selected.

Beyond inbound tourism, cultural and travel spending also picked up. Revenue from cultural creation and performances rose 17.3%, while sales from travel agencies, scenic attractions and leisure activities grew 11.2%, 26.1% and 14.6%, respectively.

Online services consumption increased 22% in 2025, driven by sports events, tourism products and dine-in catering booked online, commerce ministry data showed.