HTDF and CNSC duty free shops resume business in ‘orderly’ manner; but new COVID cases emerge

CHINA. The Hainan Tourism Duty Free Shopping Complex (HTDF) and CNSC stores in Sanya have made a quiet but successful return to trading following their reopening on 16 September after a 43-day COVID-driven shutdown.

Our colleagues at Hainan Daily, part of Hainan Hinews Media Co, The Moodie Davitt Report’s strategic partner in Hainan province, said that the stores are “gradually recovering “.

An on location feature by reporter Wu Wei said both retailers are  strictly implementing various work requirements for epidemic prevention and control. [UPDATE: Five new confirmed local COVID-19 cases were reported yesterday plus six symptomatic cases, the highest number since 6 September, according to National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China statistics. See below for a full run-down on recent case numbers].

‘Two duty free shops in Sanya resume business in an orderly manner’ proclaims the Hainan Daily headline on WeChat. Click on the image to read the full article. Pictured is the Hainan Tourism Duty Free Shopping Complex. 

The story detailed the protocols in place, noting how a customer named Chen Yongxuan entered the HTDF complex and came to the Apple store after having his temperature taken, scanning the location code, showing his health code and proffering a 48-hour nucleic acid negative certificate.

On the first day of opening, HTDF launched a range of new products (online and offline) including the new iPhone 14 series at a discount to the price on Apple’s official website.

“After the arrival of Apple’s new mobile phones, we immediately coordinated with relevant personnel to prepare for the supervision and unloading, filing, warehousing, and warehousing of duty free goods in advance, so as to ensure that the Apple 14 mobile phones were put on the shelves as quickly as possible to meet the shopping needs of tourists,” Sanya Customs Chief of duty free goods supervision Liu Chun, told Hainan Daily.

The Hainan Tourism Duty Free Shopping Complex has reopened but management are closely watching the COVID case trend

Zhang Zihong, a sales assistant in HTDF’s key beauty department, said, “I came back to work after more than a month and I was very excited. I arrived very early today to clean and disinfect the store with my colleagues and make the final preparations for the resumption of business.”

During the store closure, Zhang participated in online training organised by the company, learned marketing skills and skincare knowledge, and discovered more about new products. She told Hainan Daily: “If you stop work, you should strive to improve your professional knowledge and ability through various online trainings, so that you can do more in the duty free business going forward.”

CNSC in Sanya is back in business

HTDF Deputy General Manager Zhang Yimei said that during the store closure the company arranged for employees to work online. It also proactively coordinated and resolved after-sales problems such as stranded tourists returning goods, changing the time and method of pick-up, and organised online training to improve employees’ professional knowledge. Simultaneously HTDF strove to drive online sales while in-store shopping was prohibited.

“On the resumption of business, we have launched promotional activities such as discount coupons for members, -40% off flash sales, gifts from big brands, and new iPhones. The general public and tourists are here,” she said.

Zhang said that a series of promotional activities will take place to boost offshore duty free sales, taking advantage of the opportunities of the first Hainan Offshore Duty Free Shopping Festival, National Day, 11.11, New Year’s Day and other festivals.

CDF Mall in Haitang Bay (above) is set to open in coming days depending on the COVID situation

New confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 infections and asymptomatic cases in Hainan in September

17 September: 5 (6 asymptomatic)
16 September: 2 (0 asymptomatic)
15 September: 0 (1 asymptomatic)
14 September: 0 (0 asymptomatic)
13 September: 0 (0 asymptomatic)
12 September: 0 (2 asymptomatic)
11 September: 0 (1 asymptomatic)
10 September: 0 (3 asymptomatic)
9 September: 0 (3 asymptomatic)
8 September: 1 (5 asymptomatic)
7 September: 2 (3 asymptomatic)
6 September: 13 (6 asymptomatic)
5 September: 30 (9 asymptomatic)
4 September: 14 (16 asymptomatic)
3 September: 24 (21 asymptomatic)
2 September: 40 (29 asymptomatic)
1 September: 27 (75 asymptomatic)

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New China market launch

In July, The Moodie Davitt Report launched 穆迪达维特中国旅游零售报告 – The Moodie Davitt China Travel Retail Report, a digital magazine dedicated to our industry’s hottest market. The next edition will publish in late October/early November.

The new digital title is published in Mandarin and English four times a year across multiple platforms.

The launch edition explored China Duty Free Group’s extraordinary rise over recent years to become the world’s number one travel retailer and examined its application for a secondary listing on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong

This exciting new digital magazine from the world’s leading travel retail publisher focuses on all aspects of China’s travel-related ecosystem, including:

  • Airport retail (domestic and international)
  • Airport food & beverage
  • Airport advertising
  • Ecommerce
  • Land border, downtown and cruiseline retail
  • Mixed-use leisure and tourism developments
  • Offshore duty free retail and the Hainan Free Trade Port
  • Social media
  • + All the latest brand and retailer activations

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