Prologue: In a much-anticipated event, particularly in light of recent travel retail industry developments, the 2026 China Duty Free Group Global Partners Meeting was held in Shanghai on 27 March.
Themed ‘Grow Beyond’ the gathering attracted a powerful and diverse audience of industry leaders, government representatives, brand owners, partners across the entire industry chain, academics and industry experts, including The Moodie Davitt Report (represented by Chief China Representative Zhang Yimei) from the international travel retail media.
Click here for Part 1 of our extensive report. Below we bring you further highlights, including news of the two-day ‘China Duty Free Member Carnival’, which took place on 28-29 March.
Deepening open cooperation to shape the industry’s future
During the keynote session, Jiang Zengwei, Chairman of the Council of the Global Alliance for Trade in Services, said duty-free distribution serves as a pivotal hub bridging production with consumption and domestic markets with international trade. Within the global supply chain, this sector plays a unique role in fostering open cooperation, he added.
He highlighted CDFG’s stable partnerships with over 1,500 brands and its leadership across Hainan’s offshore, port and downtown duty-free sectors, as well as digital retail. Jiang called on the industry to prioritise innovation-driven growth, deepen collaborative efforts and fulfil corporate social responsibility.
He called on the industry to adhere to innovation-driven development, deepen cooperation and fulfil its social responsibilities.
Hainan Provincial Government Deputy Secretary-General Chen Wanxin shared the impressive milestones achieved during the first 100 days of the Hainan Free Trade Port’s special customs operations.
Highlights included the registration of 7,503 new foreign trade enterprises, a year-on-year increase of +65.7%; offshore duty-free sales reached CNY15.62 billion (US$2.26 billion), up +27.64%; while the proportion of ‘zero-tariff’ goods increased from 21% to 74%.
Chen lauded CDFG as a key contributor to Hainan Free Trade Port’s development. He expressed his enthusiasm for using the conference as a strategic platform to showcase the province’s post-customs-clearance blueprint to the global brand community.
In the thematic sharing session, three guests shared their insights from the perspectives of policy, market and industry. Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development (Hainan IEDB) Assistant Director Liu Peng noted that the Hainan Free Trade Port’s institutional opening and policy dividends are creating comprehensive, multi-tiered growth opportunities.
He added that Hainan is streamlining supply chains to establish direct channels from overseas to major Chinese airports.
Jing Daily Global Editor-in-Chief Enrique Menendez predicted that Chinese consumers will account for 40% of global luxury spending by 2030, with a shift from products to activities, wellness and travel. With a notable rise in consumer sovereignty, Menendez emphasised that brands capable of integrating into cross-cultural consumption ecosystems will be best positioned for future growth.
Tax Free World Association (TFWA) Commercial Director Myriem Chalabi said the global travel retail industry, now valued at approximately US$75 billion, is undergoing a structural transformation.
As consumers shift toward seeking emotional resonance and experiential value, travel retail has evolved into a strategic platform for brand positioning and international expansion, she observed.
Consequently, Chalabi noted that the industry’s future success will be defined by the ability to curate immersive experiences and maximise agility in responding to shifting consumer preferences.
The Shanghai Initiative: Setting new industry benchmarks
In a striking display of strategic alignment, CDFG joined forces with global brand partners to officially launch the ‘Doing Business in Good Faith and Providing Quality Services’ Shanghai Initiative.
Witnessed by government officials and industry peers, this commitment pledges to safeguard consumer trust and foster a transparent, sustainable ecosystem. The initiative marks a significant step toward the standardisation and internationalisation of China’s travel retail sector, CDFG noted.
In their joint statement, CDFG and its international partners pledged to operate with sincerity and trust as the foundation of sustainable mutual growth. A central pillar of the initiative includes a steadfast adherence to doing business in good faith and providing quality services, ensuring that product authenticity remains a top priority for every traveller.
By aligning their efforts, CDFG and its partners seek to provide travellers with a sincere and memorable shopping experience while collectively raising the bar for global industry excellence.
The afternoon sessions focused on product strategy, channel operations, user operations and digital transformation, featuring several engaging panel discussions and themed speeches.
In the product strategy session, CDFG Vice President Michelle Sun moderated two themed discussions with executives from premier brands, including Dior Beauty, L’Oréal Group, Cartier, William Grant & Sons, The Estée Lauder Companies, Rémy Cointreau, Coach and MINISO. The in-depth exchanges focused on the mantra ‘How to excite travel retail customers through product innovation.’
In the user operations session, Yu Miao, Deputy General Manager of CDFG’s Brand and Marketing Department, delivered a keynote speech, followed by a thematic discussion moderated by CDFG Chief Marketing Officer Matt Liao.
Honoring excellence: Six awards presented at ‘cdf Night’
A glittering ‘cdf Night’ gala was held on the evening of 27 March (attended by The Moodie Davitt Report Chief China Representative Zhang Yimei).
CDFG and Elle Magazine jointly presented six awards to honour brands that have demonstrated exceptional performance and shared growth over the past year.
These awards are based on a global perspective and focus on contemporary trends, aiming to recognise brands that performed exceptionally in their respective fields over the past year and grew together with CDFG.
“The six awards paid tribute to outstanding partners of the past year while expressing great anticipation for continued collaboration and shared success in the future,” CDFG said.
cdf Member Carnival unveils new consumption scenarios
The ‘Brimming with the World’s Best’ cdf Member Carnival was held at the Shanghai Exhibition Center on 28-29 March.
Designed as an immersive experience for consumers, this two-day showcase brought together over 60 international luxury houses and premium domestic brands, featuring a curated selection of tens of thousands of products.
Through five uniquely themed spaces, interactive activities and eight exclusive member salons, the carnival fused shopping, art, culture and social connection.
CDFG also held a supply chain sub-forum as part of the Global Partners Meeting on 26 March. The session featured in-depth discussions on integrated supply chain management, the development of central distribution hubs, digital system upgrades, and the transition toward green, low-carbon operations.
Participants engaged in candid exchanges regarding high-efficiency warehousing, distribution logistics and collaborative innovation in customs clearance. These dialogues further solidified the foundation of mutual trust and win-win cooperation, building synergy for a more competitive global duty-free supply chain ecosystem, CDFG said,
“Leveraging the comprehensive strengths of our parent company, CTG, CDFG is positioning itself with an increasingly open and collaborative approach,” the retailer concluded.
“Building on this event, CDFG remains dedicated to deepening international partnerships, building consensus through collaboration, and pioneering new frontiers through innovation.
“By contributing to the vitality of the global tourism market, CDFG and its partners are together charting a new course for high-quality, mutually beneficial development.” ✈
