CHINA. Hainan Development Holdings’ Global Premium Duty Free Plaza (GDF Plaza) is introducing a wide array of new brands as it prepares for the opening of phase two of its Haikou Mova Mall store at the end of August.
The second phase of more than 30,000sq m, which is currently undergoing finishing touches, will be located in the Aquarius Building – along with Capricorn one of two buildings in the Mova Mall.
GDF Plaza will introduce over 200 top global brands by the end of this month across categories including fragrance, cosmetics, digital products, sunglasses, watches, jewellery and other luxurious brands.
GDF Plaza opened the first phase on 31 January this year, introducing a range of world-renowned brands in some 3,000sq m of space in Capricorn.
The project’s third phase, located on the first and second floors of Capricorn, is now in the planning stages. It will focus on top global luxury brands in order to meet strong consumer demand in Hainan. Hainan Development Holdings is supported by leading international travel retailer Dufry.
Since the Grand Opening of the first phase of GDF Plaza, a steadily increasing range of world-renowned brands has been introduced, including Estée Lauder, La Mer, Lancôme, Helena Rubinstein, YSL, Kiehl’s, M.A.C and other cosmetics brands favoured by female consumers.
Several fashionable perfume brands such as Byredo, Maison Margiela, and Germany’s 4711, have also been introduced to Haikou’s duty free market for the first time.
The second phase opening will also see the introduction of a range of leading jewellery brands, including Pandora from Denmark, APM Monaco, and Chow Tai Fook from Hong Kong, China and an assortment of popular international watch brands in the Aquarius building.
Since GDF Plaza opened the authorised Apple store in the first phase, featuring the iPhone, iWatch, MacBook and other Apple electronic products, sales have been “remarkable”, the company said.
Since opening in January, Hainan Development Holdings’ GDF Plaza has also launched a range of convenient services for customers, including member shopping, delivery by post, and product pick-up for local residents after returning to Hainan island from their travels to the Mainland.
According to a GDF Plaza spokesperson, the second phase will be a prime choice for duty free shopping on Hainan island.
The expanded space will provide domestic and foreign tourists with a more convenient and high-quality shopping experience, GDF Plaza said. It will also help promote the comprehensive competitiveness of Hainan’s duty free industry and contribute to the development of Hainan Free Trade Port, the company pledged.
[Click here for Martin Moodie’s interview with Gu Gang, Secretary of Party Committee and 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) earlier this year]
Footnote: 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. Click here to subscribe free of charge and to view all back issues.
