HAIKOU, April 22. /TASS/. Sales at duty-free shops in China’s southern province of Hainan have reached 286.4 bln yuan over the 15 years since the introduction of the relevant policy, according to data published by the Haikou customs service (the administrative center of Hainan Province).

The number of items sold exceeded 347.8 mln units over the period, while the number of shoppers at duty-free stores on the island reached 50.8 mln. Hainan authorities launched a pilot program to develop an extensive duty-free retail network in April 2011. Duty-free shops on the island operate in the provincial capital of Haikou, the resort city of Sanya, as well as in the coastal town of Boao in the Qionghai area in northeastern Hainan, and in Wanning.

The operating framework of duty-free shops has undergone several stages of adjustment. In particular, purchase limits were increased from 5,000 to 100,000 yuan per person per year, methods of receiving purchases were expanded – from "pickup at port" to "postal delivery" and "instant purchase with immediate pickup" – and the product range grew from 35 to 47 categories.

The latest adjustment, adopted in November 2025, added new product categories, including pet goods, musical instruments, robotic vacuum cleaners, digital photography equipment, and mini drones, and for the first time allowed the sale of six categories of domestically produced goods.

Currently, 12 duty-free shops operate in Hainan Province. The policy contributes to the development of tourism, exhibitions, the entertainment industry, and also attracts foreign tourists. Since the province transitioned to a special customs regime in December last year, foreign tourists have spent 67.7 mln yuan on duty-free purchases, underscoring Hainan’s growing role as an international center for tourism and consumption.