HAIKOU, May 7. /TASS/. Total sales at Hainan's duty free stores for the first quarter of 2021 amounted to 13.6 billion yuan (about $ 2.1 billion), up by 356% from the same period in 2020, said the governor of Hainan Feng Fei, speaking at the forum "Innovation in global consumption, duty free and retail sales in tourism", which was held at the first China International Consumer Products Show in Haikou on Friday. 

According to him, in January-March, about 1.79 million people made purchases in Hainan's duty free shops, who purchased more than 17.7 million different goods. The corresponding indicators in annual terms increased by 177% and 328%. There has been a clear trend towards a recovery in consumer activity, the governor said, adding that the implementation of Hainan's free trade port project allows to use the existing benefits and advantages of the Chinese domestic market to promote foreign products there, which will contribute to an even greater recovery in demand.

A pilot program for the development of a chain of duty free stores on Hainan was launched by the Chinese government in 2011. Since July 1, 2020, the provincial authorities have increased personal quota from 30,000 to 100,000 yuan (from $ 4,200 to $ 14,200) for purchases in the province's duty free shops. The list of duty free goods has also been expanded from 38 to 45 positions.

The authorities see the program as an important part of the project to build a free trade port on Hainan.