CHINA. Wangfujing Duty Free, Hainan’s latest travel retail newcomer, is putting the finishing touches to its new duty free store in Wanning with a phased opening beginning just before the Spring Festival 2023 (21-27 January).
A spokesperson told The Moodie Davitt Report that the store, called Wangfujing International Duty Free Harbour City, will commence operations with a phased trial followed by an official inauguration later. The company outlined that phasing in detail during a TFWA webinar yesterday (see below).
As reported, parent company Wangfujing Group was granted official approval in October to open its first Hainan offshore duty free store. Wangfujing said that the duty free business has been marked as the top priority for the company to accelerate its development
Wangfujing Group has pledged to create a ‘tourism + shopping’ duty free platform by combining its retail offerings with Wanning’s cultural and tourism features. Leveraging years of retail experience in the Mainland China market through its powerful local market parent, Wangfujing Grpu, the debutante travel retailer plans to create strategic relationships with brands across multiple categories to drive a successful duty free business.
Wangfujing International Duty Free Harbour City covers some 100,000sq m. The complex will be packed with international brands (duty free and duty paid), feature Hainan’s first drive-in cinema and a skating rink. The retailer plans to cooperate with renowned sporting events and music festivals on the island and create a diverse food & beverage business to provide what it called “a better and more trendy fashion shopping experience for consumers.”
{Click on the YouTube icon to view a promotional video of the new store. Chinese readers can view the video by clicking here.}
Speaking during the TFWA webinar, Wangfujing Duty Free Deputy General Manager and Wangfujing Group Vice-President Zeng Qun (曾群) said, “Wangfujing International Duty Free City plans to open the first duty free phase in 2023. In the first phase, categories such as perfumes & cosmetics, wines & spirits, digital products, household appliances and health care items have been planned.
{Click on the YouTube icon to view Wangfujing Group’s promotional video from the 2021 Virtual Travel Retail Expo}
“At the end of 2023 the second duty free phase will be open and will mainly introduce international fashion brands. The third phase is planned to open around 2025 when we will introduce international luxury brands.”
“A comfortable, convenient and fun-filled experience of duty free shopping in Hainan”
Wangfujing International Duty Free Harbour City is located in Liji Town, Wanning City, right off the Hainan Island Ring Expressway, considered a perfect stopover for travellers touring the island.
The store is just a 15-minute drive from Wanning’s popular scenic spots such as Riyue Bay, Shimei Bay, Nanyan Bay, and Shenzhou Peninsula. It takes around 30 minutes by high-speed train to the capital Haikou in the north or Sanya in the south.
Wangfujing Duty Free said it is leveraging Wanning’s rich cultural tourism resources to create a new trend built around sports features. “We have cooperated with well-known sports events, introduced global professional sports brands, built a skating rink and Hainan’s first drive-in cinema to attract young consumers,” the company said. “At the same time, relying on the Wangfujing Duty Free membership system, we will continually provide travellers with warm services, customised products, and fantastic member activities.”
Building on Wangfjuing Group’s rich retail experience, Wangfujing International Duty Free Harbour City plans to introduce hundreds of international and domestic fashion brands and a wide selection of high-quality duty free products across all categories, to provide consumers with what it described as a “comfortable, convenient and fun-filled experience of duty free shopping in Hainan.”
Besides the Hainan operation, Wangfujing said it is focusing its efforts on Beijing to develop airport duty free and downtown duty free business. It also plans to extend its duty free services in key Chinese citiesto create a more convenient and richer international shopping experience for consumers.
Wangfujing Duty Free will be profiled in the next edition of The Moodie Davitt China Travel Retail Report, our new quarterly eZine. Click on the image to read the bi-lingual launch issue. The next edition will be published in January. Please email Kristyn@MoodieDavittReport.com for a complimentary first-year subscription. For editorial details please contact Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com. For advertising enquiries please email Irene Revilla at Irene@MoodieDavittReport.com
