GDF Plaza lauds Spring Festival success with strong recovery in Hainan duty-free sales
Visitor numbers soared +55% compared to the eight days leading up to the holiday, with sales increasing sharply, marking a successful start to the festivities.
CHINA. Global Premium Duty Free (GDF) Plaza has recorded a surge in visitor traffic during the Spring Festival holiday from 28 January to 4 February, contributing to another peak sales season for Hainan’s offshore duty-free market.
Visitor numbers climbed +55% compared to the eight days leading up to the holiday, with sales growing sharply, marking a successful start to the festivities.
GDF Plaza attributed the increase to a combination of festive shopping promotions, expanded digital and in-store engagement, and government-backed consumption incentives.
The retailer rolled out an array of themed activities targeting younger consumers, alongside national discounts on 3C electronics products, Taobao subsidies and local government-issued shopping vouchers in Qiongshan District.
In addition, the ‘use your air ticket as cash’ campaign jointly launched by GDF Plaza with major airlines, provided a CNY50 (US$7) voucher, helping drive holiday sales.
Ms Zhang, a tourist from Beijing, said: “This Spring Festival, I travelled to Hainan and saw the ‘use your air ticket as cash’ promotion on my flight. As I was about to return home, I made a special trip to GDF Plaza for shopping.
“Not only does it offer a wide range of duty-free products with great discounts, but there are also various cultural activities and performances, creating a strong festive atmosphere. I had a wonderful time.”
Visitors to GDF Plaza’s offline stores shared positive reviews, and daily live streams on Douyin attracted strong online engagement. By promoting duty-free vouchers during the Spring Festival, the streams boosted both online sales and the brand’s visibility nationwide.
Viewer numbers for GDF Plaza’s Douyin livestream increased during the holiday, reflecting a notable rise in the ratio of online orders to offline redemptions.
Ms Li, a tourist shopping for skincare products, said: “I learned about the government consumption vouchers through their official Douyin livestream and came to the store to shop. I wanted to experience the festive atmosphere and take advantage of the store’s premium membership services to purchase more items.”
A GDF Plaza spokesperson commented: “For a long time, GDF Plaza has been committed to exploring new avenues in online offshore duty-free shopping, diversifying customer segmentation, product selection and channel partnerships to meet the needs of different customer groups.
“Moving forward, we will further strengthen our online platform development, leveraging digital tools to provide consumers with more convenient and efficient shopping experiences, ensuring that offshore duty-free shopping remains a shining hallmark of Hainan’s tourism industry.” 
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