Chinese resort island reports strong duty-free sales during golden-week holiday

South China's island province of Hainan has reported strong offshore duty-free sales during the eight-day National Day holiday, also known as "Golden Week," the local customs bureau has said.

The Haikou Customs supervised a total of 944 million yuan (132.5 million U.S. dollars) in duty-free sales by approximately 122,900 shoppers during the holiday from Oct. 1 to 8, with an average spending of 7,685 yuan per person, representing a year-on-year increase of 13.6 percent, 3.2 percent, and 10 percent, respectively.

To capitalize on the travel peak during the concurrent National Day holiday and the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, the flagship duty-free store in the provincial capital of Haikou staged various activities, including food tasting and themed flash mobs, to offer a diverse shopping experience.

China released a master plan in June 2020 to build Hainan into a globally influential, high-level free trade port by the middle of the century.

Boosted by the policy, the island province has become an attractive shopping destination for domestic consumers, now boasting 12 offshore duty-free stores.