CHINA. Hainan Development Holdings co-owned Global Premium Duty Free (GDF) Plaza launched its fifth anniversary campaign on 31 January with an array of promotions and events.
The Haikou mall’s milestone birthday, which follows the island-wide customs closure of the Hainan Free Trade Port, and coincides with the beginning of Chinese New Year celebrations, features special shopper benefits and “showcases the vibrancy and potential of Hainan’s offshore duty free industry in its new era”, said the retailer.
Building a festive atmosphere
With Lunar New Year (17 February) fast approaching, the anniversary campaign has created a festive atmosphere at GDF Plaza. On 31 January, visitors received a Year of the Horse gift box upon entry, could participate in an interactive stamp-collecting game and stood a chance to win premium prizes.
Throughout the day, customers making any purchase at the mall could win a Labubu 4.0 keychain—a hit among younger shoppers—alongside other prizes such as premium Chinese liquor Wuliangye, high-end bicycles and snowboards.
The festivities peaked with a birthday ceremony in the afternoon, featuring a giant cake, complimentary lottery tickets, lion dances and the 2026 Hainan Street Dance Competition. Meanwhile, an all-day Anniversary Market and premium wine and spirits tastings provided visitors with a range activities beyond shopping.
Omnichannel promotions ignite consumption
GDF Plaza has rolled out store-wide flash sales featuring international brands across categories including beauty, wines & spirits, toys and luxury goods. Customers can also enjoy up to 15 times points on renowned spirits brands including Hennessy, The Macallan and Martell, as well as discounts combined with five times points on fragrances & cosmetics.
Online, GDF Plaza has used its official Douyin and Meituan accounts to simultaneously roll out a large-scale shopping subsidies programme, offering discounts on electronics and gold products, plus vouchers, with a combined value of CNY1 million (US$144,000).
These initiatives not only commemorate the anniversary but also aim to retain local customers and attract more visitors, noted the company.
A GDF Plaza representative said the anniversary campaign is designed to reflect the duty-free industry’s emotional resonance and align with the younger generation of shoppers, as well as tapping into new consumption trends emerging after the customs closure.
“By integrating online and offline channels and collaborating with online platforms, we have enabled shoppers to collect voucher online and redeem them offline, which highlights the convenience and diversification of duty-free shopping,” the representative added.
“Meanwhile, the introduction of youth-focused IPs such as Labubu toys and street dance competitions aims to create more innovative ‘duty-free + cultural tourism’ consumption scenarios, attracting younger demographics and establishing Hainan duty-free shopping as an appealing lifestyle choice for them.”
A roadmap for duty free
As GDF Plaza’s first anniversary celebration since the launch of the new customs regime in the Hainan Free Trade Port, the event carries broader significance for the retailer.
GDF Plaza noted that the customs closure represents a more mature policy environment and an improved business climate, and its fifth anniversary marks a fresh beginning with the new starting point for the Free Trade Port.
GDF Plaza stated, “Our fifth anniversary marks a new chapter. We will continue to leverage the policy advantages, focusing not only on sales growth but also on elevating service quality, so that every visitor to Hainan can feel the care and aspiration of Hainan Development Holdings Co as one of China’s pioneering duty-free retailers, as well as the boundless potential of the Hainan Free Trade Port.” 🏝️
