CHINA. Global Premium Duty Free (GDF) Plaza today celebrated its first anniversary in spectacular style at its store in Haikou Mova Mall.
GDF Plaza, which is owned by licence holder Hainan Development Holdings (HDH), a fully state-owned company of the Hainan Provincial Government, opened on 31 January, 2021. However, with Chinese New Year falling early in 2022 (1 February), it was decided to kick-off the extensive anniversary celebrations in advance.
The Moodie Davitt Report is bringing you extensive coverage of the anniversary activities, starting today with an exclusive video in association with Hainan Hinews Media Co, The Moodie Davitt Report’s strategic partner in Hainan province. As reported, the two media houses have an exclusive information-sharing alliance to bring coverage of Hainan’s booming offshore duty free sector to the widest possible Chinese and international audience.
Today’s film is courtesy of Lu Tianqin, Chief TV Host of Hinews.cn Media and Head of the Duty Free Channel. It is also being shown on the highly popular New Hainan app and Nanhai website (Nanguo Metropolitan Daily). The video features an interview with Lim Guek Boon (Casey Lim), pictured below, Vice President of Global Consumer Boutique (Hainan) Trading Co Ltd, which oversees GDF Plaza (we will bring you an English version in coming hours and also house the video on our website for Chinese viewers).
HIGHLIGHTS OF GDF PLAZA’S FIRST YEAR
JANUARY
Hainan Development Holdings (HDH), a fully state-owned company of the Hainan Provincial Government, supported by leading international travel retailer Dufry, unveiled the GDF Plaza in Mova Mall, Haikou on 31 January.
MAY
In a world exclusive, The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie was granted the first interview about GDF Plaza with Gu Gang, Secretary of Party Committee and at the time Chairman of the Board at HDH (海南省发展控股有限公司党委书记、董事长 顾刚). Gu told our readers how GDF Plaza had launched an integrated membership programme with Dufry during the China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou in early May.
AUGUST
On 30 August HDH celebrated the soft opening of Phase II of its Global Premium Duty Free (GDF) Plaza within the Aquarius building of Mova Mall in Hainan’s capital city, Haikou.
[Click on the YouTube icon above to watch Lu Tianqin’s report. Chinese viewers can click here for her ‘Weekly Store Visit’ programme on the New Hainan WeChat platform]
OCTOBER
Global Premium Duty Free (GDF) Plaza showcased its existing shopping offer and its exciting future plans during the Virtual Travel Retail Expo run by The Moodie Davitt Report in October.
GDF Plaza was a Platinum Partner for the event. Besides its visually stunning stand, GDF Plaza also featured in a powerful video within the Experience Arena (above) which outlined the company’s development to date and exciting plans.
NOVEMBER
November was a big month for GDF Plaza in Haikou. Not only did the duty free retailer smash all previously monthly sales records but it opened a new third-floor shopping area featuring an elegant ‘World of Spirits’ zone.
DECEMBER
Dynamic Swedish beauty tech and wellbeing house Foreo and sister brand FAQ teamed up with GDF Plaza to host a special livestream in Hainan. It marked both brands’ first-ever travel retail-exclusive livestream.
JANUARY
As it neared its first anniversary, GDF Plaza launched its first WeChat mini-program.
GDF members who have visited Hainan in the past 180 days are now eligible for shopping within the mini-program, which was launched on 1 January as a convenient and hassle-free mode of shopping.
Footnote (1): Every fortnight The Moodie Davitt Report publishes Hainan Curated, in association with Foreo, a selection of all recent stories from the offshore duty free sector in Hainan province.
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