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Volume of sales at Hainan's duty free stores reaches $816 mln in July-August

There are currently four duty free shops on the island

HAIKOU, September 9. /TASS/. Sales of Hainan's duty free shops in July-August amounted to 5.85 billion yuan (about $ 816 million). This figure increased by 221.9% compared to the one was recorded in the same period in 2019, reported www.hinews.cn, citing the Haikou customs.

Such a high growth rate of sales over the past two months was noted amid an increase in the duty free quota in the province from 30,000 to 100,000 yuan (from $ 4,200 to $ 14,200) per person as well as expanding the list of duty free goods from 38 to 45 positions.

In July-August, cosmetics accounted for most of the duty-free purchases — 2.77 billion yuan, representing 49.6% of total sales. The second and third places went to watches and jewelry. Customers spent 670 million yuan and 660 million yuan on these goods, respectively.

The authorities' policy on duty free shopping in the province, the news outlet writes, not only helps to turn Hainan into an international center for tourism and consumption, but also contributes to the implementation of Hainan's free trade port project.

There are currently four duty free shops on the island: two of them are located in the provincial capital, Haikou, and the rest — in Sanya and the coastal town of Boao. Last week, the local authorities announced three more duty free shops will open in the province by the end of 2020 in Sanya.

Duty-free shops are part of the government's plan to promote international tourism in Hainan. By the end of this year, it is planned to open three more new duty-free shops. The authorities explained the need to increase the number of duty free shops in the province by the growing number of tourists and the high demand for duty-free goods. All three new stores will be located in the resort town of Sanya. One of them will open at the airport, and the other two - in the suburbs.

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