According to statistics from Guangzhou Customs, since the opening of the 139th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) on April 15th, a total of 10,100 departure tax refund applications had been verified at Guangzhou Port as of May 1st, with the total applied amount exceeding 64.3 million yuan. The figures rose about 5.4-fold and doubled year-on-year respectively, both hitting record highs for the same period.

"During this Canton Fair, I have not only reached preliminary agreements with many suppliers, but also enjoyed Cantonese opera and experienced the Pearl River Night Cruise. I also shopped in Tianhe District and bought my ideal photography equipment," said Alain Van Verebeke, a French buyer, while handling departure tax refund procedures at the customs declaration counter in Terminal 2 of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. He remarked that the Canton Fair allowed him to witness the vitality of China's manufacturing industry and the convenient departure tax refund service left him with an excellent impression of Guangzhou's business and shopping experience.

As one of China's first batch of pilot cities for the departure tax refund policy for overseas travelers, Guangzhou now boasts more than 1,600 designated tax refund stores. In the first four months of this year (January 1st to April 30th), Guangzhou Customs has processed approximately 45,000 overseas visitors' departure tax refund application forms involving an applied amount of over 265 million yuan, up about 8.7-fold and 1.5-fold year-on-year respectively.

6430万元！广交会期间广州离境退税额创新高

据广州海关统计，自4月15日第139届广交会开幕以来，截至5月1日，海关共验核广州口岸离境退税申请单达1.01万份，申请金额超6430万元人民币（下同），同比分别增长约5.4倍和1倍，均创历史同期新高。

“这次参加广交会，不仅和很多供应商达成了合作意向，还欣赏了粤剧，体验了珠江夜游，在天河区逛街，也买到了心仪的摄影器材。”在广州白云国际机场T2航站楼出境申报台前，来自法国的采购商阿兰·范·韦雷贝克正在办理离境退税业务。他说：“广交会让我看到了中国制造业的活力，而便捷的离境退税服务，让我对广州的商务和消费体验都留下了非常好的印象。”

作为全国首批境外旅客购物离境退税试点城市，目前，广州市离境退税商店已超1600家。今年前4月（1月1日-4月30日），广州海关累计验放境外旅客离境退税申请单约4.5万份，涉及退税申请单金额超2.65亿元，同比增长约8.7倍和1.5倍。

文、图 | 记者 汪海晏 通讯员 关悦
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