The Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) lets tourists claim a refund of the GST they pay on goods bought in Singapore and taken out of the country. For a business, the relevance is whether you take part as a retailer so your customers can enjoy the refund.
Under the scheme, eligible tourists can claim back the 9% GST on their purchases when they depart, subject to a minimum spend of S$100 (including GST), which may be accumulated across up to three same-day receipts from the same retailer. Refunds are processed electronically through the eTRS (electronic Tourist Refund Scheme) at the airport or cruise terminal before departure.
Retailers offer the scheme either by operating their own eTRS solution or, more commonly, by partnering with a Central Refund Agency that administers refunds on their behalf. Conditions apply to who qualifies as a tourist (for instance, not a Singapore citizen or permanent resident, and meeting age and stay requirements) and to the goods (they must be brought out of Singapore).
If you run a retail business serving visitors, joining the TRS can be a genuine selling point. Apexia can explain the requirements and help you set it up.