China Haul: Why Foreign Visitors Are Packing Empty Suitcases for China Travel

The New Travel Souvenir: A Full Suitcase

Foreign visitors once left China with little more than a handful of souvenirs. Now many arrive with empty suitcases and leave with them packed - and on TikTok, the trend has a name: China Haul.

South African creator Grace Mondlana filmed herself unboxing her haul, from carefully designed cultural pieces to snacks, and the video pulled in more than 500,000 likes. The food account Oh Yummy walked into a snack shop in Changsha, stared at shelves with thousands of options, and called China a "snack paradise" - that video passed 3 million views. Drones, foldable phones and AI glasses show up just as often.

Why It Matters for Your Trip

This is the direction China's inbound tourism is moving: from "checking in" to "bringing home." During the China Travel phase, people filmed the scenery. In the Chinamaxxing period, they recorded high-speed trains and night markets. Now they are actually packing their suitcases - and the numbers back it up.

In the first half of 2026, 22.914 million foreign nationals entered China, up 20.4 percent year on year, with 77.7 percent arriving visa-free, according to the National Immigration Administration. Departure tax refund claims grew 366 percent year on year, while refundable sales and refund amounts both grew 69 percent. Under the current policy, China offers unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of 50 countries and 240-hour visa-free transit to those of 57 countries.

Where the Haul Happens

• Shenzhen, Huaqiangbei: AI products now make up 61 percent of electronics in the commercial zone (up from 41 percent in 2025). AI-glasses sales doubled year on year, and drone and robot sales rose 60-70 percent. Nearly 8,000 foreign visitors come here to shop every day.
• Changsha, Hunan: Snack streets with thousands of options turn "just browsing" into a suitcase-filling run.
• Suzhou, Pingjiang Road: Heritage shops sell Su-embroidery fans and sachets - or let you try making them on the spot.
• Shanghai: Chinese fashion brands are catching on, with foreign customers now making up 35 percent of sales at one local footwear label.

How to Haul Like a Pro

1. Bring an empty suitcase (or pack light) - departure tax refund shops now number more than 15,000 across the country, covering 356 categories of goods.
2. Use the 240-hour transit visa if you qualify: land in a gateway city like Zhengzhou or Shenzhen, shop for up to 10 days, and fly out without a visa.
3. Shop where you can also experience: try on AI glasses in Huaqiangbei, make a sachet in Suzhou, and taste your way through a Changsha snack street - the haul is better when the experience comes with it.
4. Check the departure tax refund desk before you leave: the paperless, nationwide "refund upon purchase" window now runs up to 28 days before departure.

Why It Fits Your China Travel Budget

The motivation has shifted from "because it's cheap" to "because it's good" - Chinese design, quality and aesthetics now stand on their own. For travelers, that means the same tech or craft you would pay multiples for back home costs a fraction here, and a growing share of it is refundable at the airport. That is the value-for-money China Travel has become known for, now with a full suitcase attached.

For more Shenzhen APEC and China Travel experiences, check the dedicated pages below before you land.