Hainan duty-free sales top $5.9b in 7 years

Customers queue up at the cashier's desk at Sanya Haitang Bay Duty-free Mall, the world's largest duty-free mall, during the Chinese Lunar New Year in Sanya city, South China's Hainan province, Feb 18, 2018. [Photo/IC]

Offshore duty-free shops on the island province of Hainan have sold more than 37.5 billion yuan ($5.95 billion) of goods over the past seven years, Haikou customs announced Saturday.

Official data showed that the two duty-free shops, one in the provincial capital of Haikou and the other in the resort city of Sanya, received 11.5 million customers and sold over 47.9 million items since offshore duty-free sales began in 2011.

The State Council gave Hainan the permission to run a trial offshore duty-free program on April 20, 2011 to help develop the island into a world-class tourist destination by 2020.

Without any restrictions on the number of purchases, non-Hainan residents are allowed to buy duty-free products worth up to 16,000 yuan a year before they leave the island by flight or train.

Travelers can also order online and pick up their purchases at the airport or railway station.

The province announced earlier this month that it plans to establish another offshore duty-free shop in Boao, a town in the city of Qionghai.