The "China Travel" boom has continued to gain momentum this year, fueling a surge in consumer spending.

In the first half of the year, Shanghai ports recorded 3.166 million inbound arrivals, up 22% year on year. The city also processed 253,000 departure tax refund claims, a nearly threefold increase, with the value of tax-refunded goods reaching 2.3 billion yuan (approximately $339 million), up 58% from a year earlier.

The growth has been supported by more diversified tax refund channels designed to meet the needs of international visitors. Options now include cash, domestic and overseas bank cards, Alipay, WeChat and the Nihao China App, a digital gateway that connects overseas bank cards with China's major payment networks. Faster processing and payouts have also made shopping more convenient for overseas visitors.