Suzhou has authorized 18 shops and malls to offer tax refunds on purchases made by overseas tourists.
The tax refund policy is regarded as a key incentive to attract more foreign visitors. Foreign tourists and those from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan who have lived in the Chinese mainland for no more than 183 days can get a rebate of 11 percent on consumer goods purchased at the 18 designated stores.
The minimum purchase to obtain a tax refund is 500 yuan (US$77.60) at any one store in a day.
