Sanya duty-free market sees strong start

HTDF-Sanya's Spring Festival event is crowded with people. [Photo/WeChat account: yalongbag]

Sanya's off-shore duty-free market has achieved a robust start to 2025, with the Hainan Tourism Duty Free Shopping Complex Sanya (HTDF-Sanya) welcoming over 1 million visitors from Jan 1 to Feb 25, a 4 percent year-on-year increase. The complex attracted over 320,000 visitors during the Spring Festival holiday, setting a record high.

To boost consumption, the HTDF-Sanya launched a series of themed marketing campaigns combining traditional culture, modern aesthetics, shopping discounts, and government vouchers and promotional offers. These efforts drove significant sales growth, particularly in beauty and electronics. Estee Lauder and Lancome skincare sets sold 40,000 units, up 153.25 percent year-on-year, while Apple smartphone sales rose 50.85 percent.

The "duty-free+" strategy expanded further, integrating with events like the Haikou International Golf Tournament and the Hainan (Sanya) Marathon, boosting sports-related sales.

The complex plans to leverage Jay Chou's 2025 Sanya concert in March to create a themed pop-up store and a six-meter-tall IP installation targeting younger consumers.

With the upcoming China International Consumer Products Expo and the 59-country visa-free policy, Hainan is strengthening its position as a global tourism and shopping hub, driving the growth of its duty-free market.