Hainan's duty-free sales reach $96.8 mln during May holidays

HAIKOU /China/, May 8. /TASS/. Sales in duty-free stores in the southern Chinese province of Hainan amounted to about 645 million yuan (about $96.8 million) over the May holidays (April 30 to May 4), the Hainan International Communication Network (HICN) reported with reference to the provincial Department of Commerce.

Sales rose 38.9% compared to five days before the holiday, the department said. The number of duty-free customers in Hainan also rose by 12.9% to 64,400 during the period.

To stimulate demand for duty-free goods, provincial authorities issued consumer coupons worth 129 million yuan (about $19.4 million), which allowed for an even bigger discount in duty-free stores. The turnover of digital yuan in various promotions on duty-free goods during the May holidays was about 10 million (about $1.5 million).

In 2011 the Hainan authorities launched a pilot program to create a developed duty-free network. Currently, there are already 10 duty-free stores on the island, they are located in the provincial capital - the city of Haikou, at Sanya resort, as well as in the coastal town of Boao in Qionghai district in the northeast of Hainan.

As of July 1, 2020, the provincial authorities increased the quota per person on purchases in the province's duty-free stores from 30,000 to 100,000 yuan (from 4,71,000 to $15,72,000 at current exchange rates). The list of duty-free goods was expanded from 38 to 45 items. Since February 2 last year Hainan also launched a delivery service of duty-free goods to the customer's destination by mail for those leaving the island.