The data comes the first day after the province updated relevant policies, an increase of 6.1% compared to the previous day.

The island province of Hainan has expanded the scope of its offshore duty-free goods and reduced barriers to duty-free shopping for its residents to stimulate consumption. As of Saturday, two new categories have been introduced to the offshore duty-free goods list: pet supplies and portable musical instruments.

With this update, the island’s offshore duty-free shopping list now covers 47 goods categories. The updated policy not only expands the product categories, target groups, and reduces purchase restrictions, but also places higher demands on the service capabilities and operational efficiency of duty-free shops.

A variety of domestic brands are entering the Mova Shopping Mall in Haikou as the new policy takes effect. For these products sold in the duty-free shop, citizens and tourists who have a record of leaving the island can enjoy refunds (or exemptions) of value-added tax and consumption tax. “With the new policy in effect, our mall has recently opened a multi-brand store featuring domestic goods. The goods now cover six major categories: clothing, shoes, hats, scarves, coffee, porcelain, and tea. Travelers with a record of leaving the island can directly enjoy tax-refund prices,” said Fu Mengping, a salesperson at the shopping mall.

The policy also broadened eligibility, particularly for island residents. As long as they have a record of leaving the island at least once within a calendar year, they can purchase duty-free goods without limits during that year.

“You only need to leave the island once a year, and then you can buy things duty-free repeatedly throughout the year. It’s very convenient for personal shopping. I happen to have a travel plan off the island this month, and also some things to buy, so I came here to take a look,” said a resident in Haikou.

–Reuters–