HAINAN. The Chinese New Year or Spring Festival holiday has prompted a “wave” of duty free shopping across the island, according to state-owned China Daily and New Hainan, part of Hainan Hinews, The Moodie Davitt Report’s media partner in Hainan.
Citing Haikou Customs data, New Hainan said from the first day of Spring Festival to Chinese New Year’s Eve (the 15 days from 26 January to 9 February), offshore duty free sales reached RMB2.26 billion (US$317.5 million), up 4.9 times compared with the same period last year.
The number of shoppers was 330,000, up 3.7 fold, while the number of items purchased increased 4.3 times.
Quoting the same source, China Daily said offshore duty free sales in the province reached RMB1.217 billion (US$169.6 million) for the period 10-13 February.
The number of shoppers was 156,000, with an average spend per head of RMB7,802 (US$1,087).
China Daily said cdf Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex – the world’s largest stand-alone duty free store –had been packed with large crowds of shoppers.
It quoted Li Siying, a tourist from Central China’s Hubei province, who had spent more than RMB3,000 (US$418) on skincare products for herself and many other products for her friends.
Li commented on the impressive variety of products available and the “very competitive” prices. “Plus, the option for instant pick-up [introduced in 2023 -Ed] is very convenient,” she said.
“It’s much more convenient to come to shop in Hainan than going abroad,” she told China Daily in a comment that underlines the perennial appeal of the offshore duty free shopping proposition.
The Haikou municipal government distributed 27,500 digital duty free shopping vouchers worth a total RMB12 million (US$1.7 million) to stimulate consumption over the holidays. ✈
