Tax departments boost recovery of flower-themed tourism in C China's Hunan

With favorable tax policies and help from local tax departments, various flower-themed tourist attractions in central China's Hunan Province have witnessed a robust recovery.

Home to a resort which incorporates a plum blossom garden and a fish farm, Meihua village, Xidu town, Hengyang county of Hunan received 180,000 visitors in the first two months of this year, a sharp rise year on year.

"The recovery of the flower-themed tourism is largely attributable to the preferential tax and fee policies, which boosted confidence for those who face difficulties in their operations," introduced Yang Chenping, head of the village.

Two tax officials of Leiyang city, central China's Hunan Province explain policies to a visitor in a rapeseed field. (Photo/Liu Wentao)

According to Yang, tax officials explained policies, such as policies for small-scale taxpayers, to relevant households one by one. With a value-added tax (VAT) credit refund of over 300,000 yuan (about $43,578), the village will develop some tourism programs aiming at young travelers this year to further boost the tourism sector.

A tourist attraction named Taohuayuan (Land of Peach Blossom) in Changde of the province once encountered many difficulties, and the management company of the scenic spot was forced to close for several times. "The tax authorities helped our company receive a tax refund of over 5 million yuan, which enabled the company to accelerate the upgrading of the tourist site. This year, Taohuayuan received a growing number of visitors, said Qin Yan, financial manager of the management company.

Statistics showed that since the beginning of this year, visitors have made 219,000 trips to Taohuayuan, up by 18.76 percent year on year, with its revenue going up by 17.32 percent.

Similarly, tax department of Changning city of Hunan helped a cherry blossom garden in Miaoshan village overcome difficulties brought by the COVID. According to Li Rui, executive of the garden, local tax department helped the garden with the sales of the fruit trees and application for tax exemption, enabling the garden to pull through the difficulties. Li also praised the tax department for the big data service and the implementation of the tax policies, calling these advantageous policies "driving force of rural revitalization."

"Now the whole village has engaged in the tourism industry, and tourists made over 20,000 trips to the village, with revenue totaled 760,000 yuan in this February alone," Li added.