摘要：On the first day of the May Day holiday, many locals and tourists set off on their travels, with Guangdong emerging as a popular d

On the first day of the May Day holiday, many locals and tourists set off on their travels, with Guangdong emerging as a popular destination for both domestic and international visitors. Benefiting from policy incentives such as the departure tax refund scheme, the "China Buy" trend is heating up. Drones and POP MART toys have become popular new souvenirs in Guangzhou, while the city's signature "Canton-style service" continues to evolve. The deep cultural heritage of this ancient commercial hub has been reimagined to create immersive Lingnan-style cultural shopping scenes. Coupled with Guangdong cuisine, a taste messenger that crosses oceans and mountains, this year's May Day cultural and tourism market is both international and down-to-earth.

On the first day of the holiday, the Beijing Road shopping district is packed with tourists.

The Canton Fair has brought in buyers from around the world, injecting an international flair into May Day consumption. Thanks to tax refund policies and other incentives, inbound consumption in the Beijing Road commercial district has seen significant growth. In April alone, the Beijing Road branch of Grandbuy Department Store processed over 100 tax refund transactions, with the sales revenue of goods eligible for departure tax refunds doubling year on year. On the first day of the holiday, the store was bustling with shoppers.

The pocket gimbal camera at DJI's outlet in Grandbuy Department Store on Beijing Road has sold out recently. (Photo by interviewee)

The "China Buy" craze is driving rapid product evolution. At DJI's outlet in the Grandbuy Department Store on Beijing Road, the 1-inch pocket gimbal camera sold out quickly — foreign tourists snapped them up for livestreaming or as gifts. Two popular palm-sized drones for vlogs also recorded strong sales, with buyers mainly from Brazil, Russia, and Arab countries. POP MART toys saw similarly explosive demand: the launch of the LABUBU 3.0 series drew long queues at stores. Foreign tourists bought in bulk and some of them even got shopping lists from others. In the first quarter of 2025, POP MART's overseas revenue surged nearly 500% year-on-year, highlighting the rapid rise of China's designer toy economy.

On the first day of the holiday, the POP MART store at TeeMall (Beijing Road Branch) became the main crowd magnet.

Malls such as Taikoo Hui and TeeMall in Guangzhou have optimized their tax refund services by launching "Instant Tax Refund upon Purchase" online platforms, with refunds processed in as little as five minutes. Themed events in these malls have also drawn large crowds.

Over 100 tax refund transactions have recently been processed at the Grandbuy Department Store's Beijing Road branch.

Beyond shopping, food continues to win over visitors' hearts. From diverse culinary offerings along Beijing Road to newly opened restaurants in Tianhe's shopping malls like Parc Central, Guangdong's delicious cuisine acts as a flavorful ambassador during the holiday. This blend of international flair and local street culture makes May Day consumption in the province both global and warmly familiar.

无人机成广东新手信，外宾扫货买爆泡泡玛特

“五一”假期首日，不少市民游客已踏上出游的路途，又有不少国内外游客将广东选为旅游目的地。政策红利的加持，离境退税政策催热了China Buy，无人机、泡泡玛特成了广州新手信，“广式服务”不断升级；千年商都的文化底蕴焕新，也打造出极具岭南文化韵味的文化消费场景；再加上广东美食这一跨越山海的味觉信使，今年广东的“五一”文旅消费市场既有“国际范”，又有“烟火味”。

广交会带来全球客商，为“五一”消费增添“国际范”。北京路商圈受离境退税等政策刺激，入境消费显著提升，广百百货北京路店4月退税业务超百宗，退税商品销售额同比翻倍。“五一”首日，门店人气火爆。

China Buy热潮下，商品迭代升级。大疆广百百货北京路店一英寸口袋云台相机卖断货，外宾买来用于直播或作手信，两款掌上Vlog无人机出货量大，购买者多来自巴西、俄罗斯和阿拉伯地区。泡泡玛特同样火爆，LABUBU3.0系列发售时门店大排长龙，外宾批量购买，甚至持代购清单采购。泡泡玛特2025年第一季度海外收益同比增长近500%，展现中国潮玩经济的崛起。

广州太古汇、天河城等优化离境退税服务，推出“即买即退”线上一站式服务，退税金最快5分钟到账，商场主题活动也吸引大量游客。

除了“买买买”，各路美食都使出绝招留住游客的胃。在北京路沿路的各式美食；在天河路商圈，天环广场等商场引入的多家餐饮新店选择“五一”假期开业。这些跨越山海的味觉信使，让这个“五一”的广东消费既有“国际范”又有“烟火味”。

文、图 | 记者 许悦（署名除外）

翻译|曾敏

审校|肖凯欣

来源：羊城派