AI glasses, subway rides, instant tax refunds: China travel has changed

Foreign tourists in China can now pay with their own cards and Apple Pay without a local account: contactless payment works at all 432 Shenzhen metro stations. From January to July, foreign spending rose 27.8% to 263.6 billion yuan, and the number of tourists claiming tax refunds more than tripled.

• Foreign spending in China rose 27.8% to 263.6 billion yuan in 7 months
• Shenzhen metro contactless payment works at 432 stations and 11,000 turnstiles
• In Shenzhen, 41,000 merchants and 51,000 POS terminals accept foreign cards
• Shenzhen has over 2,500 tax-free shops and 1,000 instant refund points