Growth reported for Hainan duty-free scheme

Duty-free purchases of luxury goods, including footwear, grew by 8.4 per cent compared to the same period in 2021.

In 2020, the Chinese government made the entire Hainan Island Province a free-trade zone. This allows visitors from the rest of China – as well as other countries – to travel to Hainan where they can purchase footwear and other luxury products at duty-free prices. Visa-free access to Hainan Province is now permitted from 59 nations.

Duty-free sales in the province – which comprises Hainan Island and over 200 smaller islands – totalled USD 2.3 billion (GBP 1.8 billion) during the first quarter of this year, according to the region’s administrators. This represents an 8.4 per cent increase over the same period in 2021. These sales were achieved despite a downward trend reported in March, which was attributed to the effects of COVID-19 and the central government’s pandemic prevention and control measures.

Consumers are said to have made more than 20 million duty-free purchases during the quarter – a 14 per cent growth compared to the figure for January to March 2021. The duty-free spend per person during this period was logged at approximately USD 1,310 (GBP 1,044).

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 3 of the May 2022 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

Other articles from this issue »

---