‘Favourable duty-free policies’ and promotions see Hainan Lunar New Year sales reach US$290 million
Hainan duty-free retailers welcomed 240,500 shoppers during the eight-day Spring Festival period. Visitors enjoyed dynamic promotional campaigns and government incentives designed to encourage spending.
CHINA. Hainan’s offshore duty-free sector delivered robust sales of CNY2.094 billion (US$287 million) during the eight-day Lunar New Year holiday from 28 January to 4 February, according to statistics released by Haikou Customs.
A total of 240,500 shoppers visited duty-free outlets on the island, with CNY8,706 (US$1,194) average spend per customer.
All major Hainan duty-free retailers implemented a series of promotional initiatives and festive activities to attract shoppers. The cdf Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex created an immersive festive atmosphere through performances and events that showcased traditional Chinese arts and crafts, while the cdf Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex launched an array of activities and promotions, including cultural acts and a Sunset Market.
Global Duty Free Plaza collaborated with leading Chinese airlines – Hainan Airlines, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines – for the second phase of its ‘Use your air ticket as cash’ campaign. The initiative allowed travellers to redeem CNY50 (US$6.86) vouchers at GDF Plaza when presenting their boarding passes.
The Hainan government introduced several incentives to encourage spending, including duty-free consumption vouchers and subsidies for digital device purchases.
At the Haikou New Seaport Passenger Transportation Integrated Hub, the nation’s largest seaport transportation centre, the duty-free goods pick-up point experienced a surge in visitors. To accommodate, Haikou Port Customs put in place extra personnel to ensure seamless transaction processing.
Haikou Port Customs Division One Chief of Duty Free Goods Wang Yang commented: “We dispatched staff to the duty-free malls to educate shoppers about offshore duty-free policies and shopping and pick-up procedures, so that they’d have a more stress-free and pleasant retail experience.”
To alleviate supply chain pressures caused by increased tourist demand, Haikou Customs introduced a temporary ‘Beck and Call’ mechanism for the timely stock replenishment.
Specialised customs personnel were on hand 24/7 to support duty-free retailers, while centralised documentation reviews and round-the-clock clearance services ensured a smooth flow of goods to alleviate stock pressures during the busy holiday period.
Addressing logistical challenges, Haikou Customs also launched a departure information update system and a mobile mini-programme, enabling travellers to update their departure details and request duty-free purchase verification online.
Haikou Customs Director of the Port Supervision Division Guo Jianmeng said: “We plan to fully leverage Hainan’s favourable duty-free policies and continuously invigorate the consumer market to contribute to Hainan’s offshore duty-free industry and its development as an international tourism consumption centre.”
“Tourists in Hainan sometimes face challenges in picking up their goods and purchase verification due to changes in their departure information,” a Haikou Customs officer said.
“To address this pain point, we developed a departure information update system and a mini-programme for travellers to request duty-free purchase verification. They allow visitors to update information themselves and get timely assistance.” 
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