Several Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the Reform and Development of the Tourism Shopping Industry

People's Daily Online, Beijing, August 21. According to the China Government website, the State Council issued "Several Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the Reform and Development of the Tourism Industry." The "Opinions" propose that by 2020, total domestic tourism consumption will reach 5.5 trillion yuan, urban and rural residents will travel 4.5 times per year per capita, and the added value of the tourism industry will account for more than 5% of GDP.

Article 11 of the "Opinions" clearly states: Expand tourism and shopping consumption. Implement China's tourism commodity brand building project, pay attention to the creative design of tourist souvenirs, enhance cultural connotation and added value, strengthen intellectual property protection, and cultivate tourism commodity brands that reflect local characteristics. Inherit and promote time-honored brands and increase the development of time-honored souvenirs. Regulate and standardize the tourist souvenir market, vigorously develop commercial blocks with local characteristics, and encourage the development of specialty restaurants and theme hotels. Encourage various localities to launch recommended lists of travel products. At qualified ports, outbound duty-free shops can be set up in accordance with regulations to optimize product varieties and increase the popularity of domestic boutiques. Study and improve the departure tax refund policy for overseas tourists’ shopping, and expand the scope of implementation to eligible areas across the country. On the premise of effectively implementing the supervision of luggage items of inbound and outbound tourists, study the feasibility of adding duty-free shops at entry ports. Encourage the construction of specialty commodity shopping areas, provide financial, logistics and other convenient services, and develop shopping tourism.