Hainan offshore duty-free sales hit $3.08b in six months under new policy

en.hainan.gov.cn

Updated: 2026-05-12

Offshore duty-free sales in China's Hainan province reached 22.22 billion yuan (about $3.08 billion) in the six months since a revised policy took effect in November 2025, local customs authorities said on May 11.

From November 2025 to April 2026, Haikou Customs recorded 2.97 million duty-free shopper trips and 17.45 million items sold, representing year-on-year increases of 22.6 percent, 9.4 percent and 5.5 percent, respectively.

The revised policy, which took effect on Nov 1, 2025, expanded duty-free goods from 45 to 47 categories with the addition of pet supplies and portable musical instruments. It also broadened the range of existing categories — adding robot vacuums and sleep monitors under small appliances, as well as digital photography equipment and mini drones under electronics. Moreover, six categories of high-quality domestic products — including footwear, scarves and ceramics — are now eligible for sale in duty-free shops.

The policy also relaxed restrictions for Hainan residents. Those with at least one record of leaving the island in a calendar year can now make unlimited number of duty-free purchases at the designated shops through the "buy-and-pick-up" method during that year, within an annual quota of 10,000 yuan per person.

A representative of Wangfujing International Duty Free Port in Wanning, a city in southeastern Hainan, was quoted as saying that the shop has increased supply and expanded brand selection to meet more diverse demand.

Haikou Customs said it has upgraded its smart supervision system, applying unique code management to each product across in-store sales, onsite pickup and post-departure verification. It is also using a big data model to monitor consumer flow, forecast peak traffic and allocate inspection resources efficiently.