The first downtown duty-free store in Guangzhou marked its first anniversary on Aug 26, having become a landmark for inbound consumption in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Located at the Guangzhou Friendship Store in Tianhe district, the store offers a diverse shopping experience through its innovative "duty-free + taxed", "imported + domestic", and "offline + online" retail models. This has attracted numerous international visitors.

The first downtown duty-free store in Guangzhou, located at the Guangzhou Friendship Store in Tianhe district, marked its first anniversary on Aug 26. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

Over the past year, the duty-free store has integrated cultural elements and diverse offerings to become a new window for international cultural exchange. It features high-end beauty products, fine wines, and luxury goods, alongside tech brands like iFlytek and Huawei, catering to the varied tastes of overseas tourists.

The taxed section focuses on local specialties and Chinese brands, introducing Lingnan cultural items and tech products like DJI drones and artificial intelligence glasses. Interactive cultural activities further enhance the shopping experience.

Statistics show a significant increase in tax refund transactions and sales in Guangzhou, with over 1,850 tax refund stores in the city.

The local tax authority is committed to optimizing tax services to enhance the city's status as an international consumption hub, and it aims to leverage opportunities like APEC summit to boost high-quality development in the Greater Bay Area.