Hainan's duty-free shopping market gains momentum in summer

(ECNS) -- South China's island province of Hainan has experienced a surge in offshore duty-free shopping during the summer, reflecting strong consumer activity at its duty-free retail outlets.

In the first six months of 2026, offshore duty-free sales in the province totaled 19.92 billion yuan (about 2.93 billion U.S. dollars), an increase of 18.8% year on year, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

During the same period, shoppers purchased 15.966 million duty-free items, up 7.3% from a year earlier. The number of shoppers reached 2.793 million, representing year-on-year growth of 12.6%.

The Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Haikou, capital of Hainan , has been among the locations attracting shoppers during the summer season.

Hainan has continued to develop offshore duty-free shopping as part of efforts to expand consumption and strengthen its position as an international tourism and consumption destination.

(By Intern Lin Qiaochu, Zhang Dongfang)