CHINA. Zhuhai Duty Free (ZHDF) opened its new departures Hengqin Port departures store in Zhuhai on 6 December.
The 92sq m shop is located in the departures area on the ground floor of the Hengqin Port boundary crossing complex, enabling travellers to pick up last-minute duty free goods such as cigarettes, wines and spirits before crossing into Macau.
It is seen as a welcome addition to the continued commercial diversification of the port, offering an important incremental shopping opportunity.
Hengqin Port is a major crossing point between Guangdong and Macau and serves as a key link in Hengqin-Macao integration within the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone (GMICZ).
As ZHDF looks to promote the upgrading and development of the outbound duty free industry in the zone, the group said it has put great effort into ensuring that the new store the first of its kind in the zone –makes a splash.
ZHDF Group said it has come to recognise the strategic importance of the GMICZ in recent years.
By leveraging its resources, the company has begun to lay the foundations for tourism-related retail in the zone, promoting the development of a high-end consumer goods trading industrial ecosystem, and creating a center for imported consumer goods trading.
In December 2021, ZHDF inked a strategic cooperation agreement with Hong Kong’s Lai Sun Group to create a high-end consumer products experience centre spanning Hengqin and Macao.
It bagged the rights to operate an outbound duty free shop on the ground floor of Hengqin Port in June 2022, commencing operations this week ahead of the implementation of two-tier customs controls in the GMICZ.
A ZHDF spokeperson said the group will continue to strengthen duty free operations within the GMICZ and expand cooperation across various areas, utilizing elements such as high-end consumption, travel retail, and the introduction of cultural brands to usher in fresh progress in the zone’s culture and tourism industry.
In the first 11 months of this year, a record-breaking 15 million travellers poured through Hengqin Port, up +101.5% year-on-year.
This port is not only a vital transport link; as the only land crossing between Hengqin and Macao, it is also an essential prerequisite for opening up new living spaces for the residents of the Greater Bay Area.
ZHDF believes the opening of the Hengqin Port store will bolster economic growth in the region, bringing greater convenience and diversity to locals’ and tourists’ shopping experiences. ✈
