Beijing airports hit record high in tax refunds for overseas travelers

Beijing, May 30 -- In the first four months of this year, the customs of two major airports in Beijing processed departure tax refund applications for overseas travelers totaling approximately 369 million yuan (about 51.36 million U.S. dollars), up 79.41 percent year on year, setting a new record high for the same period in history, according to Beijing Customs.

The 24-hour visa-free transit policy has significantly boosted the number of foreigners visiting China, the municipal customs said.

From January to April, Beijing Customs handled 7.07 million inbound and outbound passengers, up 22.3 percent year on year.

Additionally, the customs authorities oversaw 40,622 inbound and outbound flights at Beijing Capital International Airport a...