BEIJING -- China will continue to promote inbound consumption, a crucial area for expanding domestic consumption, amid surging sales revenue from tax refund shops for foreign tourists in the country, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

In the first six months of this year, the number of foreign visitors entering China exceeded 19 million, representing a 30-percent year-on-year increase. The tax-refund sales volume surged by 95 percent year-on-year in the first half of the year, data from the ministry showed.

During this period, the number of such shops has more than doubled, exceeding 7,200, according to data from the State Administration of Taxation.

Efforts have been made to rejuvenate commercial areas and upgrade business models in key cities across the country, enriching consumption experience for foreign visitors, according to the ministry.

The tax refund policies for foreign tourists have been continuously optimized, and channels for foreign currency and foreign card payments have been broadened, the ministry added.

The ministry plans to implement several measures to further boost inbound consumption, including optimizing the layouts of tax-refund shops, expanding product offerings, and improving service quality.

It will also guide local authorities to organize diverse consumption promotion activities and create integrated consumption scenarios, so as to provide a better experience for foreign visitors in China in terms of shopping, tourism, culture, and sports, the ministry said.