CHINA. Hainan offshore duty free sales reached CNY2.572 billion (US$380.7 million) in the seven-day Spring Festival holiday period, according to the Hainan Provincial Department of Commerce {Note: For readers who may have seen different numbers quoted elsewhere by B2B media citing Haikou Customs, the Department of Commerce figures featured in our story include online and offline consumption. Haikou Customs results, see below, only cover offline sales}.
The Department of Commerce figures represent a +20.69% rise compared with the equivalent holiday days in 2022 and are +329% higher than in pre-pandemic 2019.
Reporting the results, our colleagues and strategic partners in Hainan, New Hainan (Hainan Hinews Media Co) said, “During the Spring Festival, Hainan’s duty free shops have become a must-visit destination for tourists, with customs-supervised duty free products at good quality and prices being the first choice for many people’s Spring Festival gifts.
“It can be said that during this Spring Festival, offshore duty free sales have all achieved a good start to the year.”
In the video below, Lu Tianqin, Chief TV Host of Hinews.cn Media and Head of the Duty Free Channel, vists cdf Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex, GDF Plaza and Times DF in Haikou to capture the seasonal excitement.
In line with the two publishing houses’ unique B2C and B2B partnership, the film is being shown across Hainan Hinews Media Co’s consumer channels and The Moodie Davitt Report’s WeChat and English language platforms.
As previously reported, sales across Hainan’s burgeoning duty free store network rose +20.03% year-on-year to CNY1.685 billion (US$248.4 million) in the first five days of the holiday period (21 to 25 January), according to the Provincial Department of Commerce.
The figures, based on sales in Sanya, Haikou, Bo’ao and Wanning, represent a +325% increase over the equivalent holiday period in pre-pandemic 2019.
The results were revealed by our colleagues at Hainan Daily, like New Hainan also part of Hainan Hinews Media Co.
“During the Spring Festival holiday, Hainan’s offshore duty free shops saw high popularity and enthusiastic spending by travellers,” wrote reporter Luo Xia.
Meanwhile, Haikou Customs supervised some CNY1.56 billion (US$231.1 million) of offline duty free spending during the period, up +5.88% year–on-year and an increase of +51.5% over the same period in 2021. The number of shoppers was 157,000, an increase of +9.51% over the same period in 2022 and +64.9% over the same period in 2021. Per capita spending reached CNY9,959 (US$1,475).
In a statement, Port Supervision Department of Haikou Custom Deputy Director Guo Jianmeng described the Spring Festival as a “golden period” of consumption. He said the department had worked closely with duty free retailers during the Spring Festival to facilitate rapid customs clearance, tailor holiday service plans and guarantee the ease of the tourist shopping experience. ✈
