China's five designated international shopping cities saw double the number of foreign visitors in 2024 compared to 2023 as a result of improved consumer confidence and increased spending, an official from the country’s Commerce Ministry said at a press briefing on Tuesday.
In July 2021, China approved Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Tianjin, and Chongqing as the major shopping cities set up to appeal to foreign consumers. After three years of development, the five cities have seen significant growth in the number of foreign shoppers and the revenues they generate, said Li Gang, director of the Department of Market Operation and Consumption Promotion at the Ministry of Commerce.
"In 2024, the total number of foreign visitors entering the five cities nearly doubled compared to the last year. The cities were home to about 60 percent of the nation's departure tax refund stores and over 70 percent of national duty-free sales, indicating a continuous improvement in the international consumer environment," said Li.
The five cities have also been exploring ways to attract more international visitors.
"By now, nearly one-third of China’s ‘time-honored’ brands are based in the five cities, and the cities account for more than half of the country's total consumer goods imports. High-quality global consumer choices can now be found in these cities, where the development of iconic commercial districts has yielded results, and the innovation and diversification of consumer offerings continues," said Li.
Looking ahead, the ministry said it plans to use these cities as benchmarks for further internationalizing China's consumer market.
"For the next step, the Ministry of Commerce will guide the five cities to become better role models, developing international standard shopping districts, enhancing high-quality goods and services supply, and innovating with consumer offerings. We will devote all our efforts to create cities with vibrant commercial hubs and thriving markets that appeal to the public and contribute to Chinese modernization," said Li.
China's international shopping cities see two-fold rise in foreign visitor numbers in 2024: official
