Offshore duty-free sales in China's Hainan top 28 bln USD over 12 yrs

This photo taken on July 26, 2023 shows passengers selecting duty-free products at Phoenix International Airport in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

HAIKOU, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Since introducing relevant policies 12 years ago, south China's island province of Hainan has recorded total offshore duty-free sales of 202.4 billion yuan (about 28.19 billion U.S. dollars), according to local authorities.

As of Monday, 37.22 million shoppers had purchased 268 million duty-free products on the island, according to the customs of Haikou, the provincial capital of Hainan.

Hainan launched the policy that allows domestic tourists to buy products on the island without taxation on April 20, 2011, and since then rounds of adjustments to the initial policy have been implemented.

The adjustment from July 1, 2020 increased the island's annual tax-free shopping quota from 30,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan per person, and expanded the major categories of duty-free goods from 38 to 45.

China released a master plan in June 2020 to build Hainan into a globally influential and high-level free-trade port by the middle of the century. Over recent years, the island province has become an attractive shopping destination for domestic consumers.

Following years of efforts to enhance the local tourism and shopping sector, Hainan now boasts 12 offshore duty-free shops.

This photo taken on July 12, 2023 shows tourists selecting products at a duty-free shop in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

This photo taken on Nov. 28, 2016 shows tourists lining up at a cashier of Sanya International Duty Free City in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

This photo taken on April 20, 2019 shows tourists selecting products at a duty-free shop in Bo'ao, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

This aerial photo taken on April 4, 2023 shows the view of Haikou International Duty Free City (front) and Xinhai comprehensive passenger transport hub (rear) in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

This photo taken on Dec. 2, 2021 shows passengers selecting duty-free products at Meilan International Airport in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)