Hainan duty-free sales up in H1

Offshore duty-free shops in Hainan sold goods worth 5.25 billion yuan ($768 million) during the first six months of this year, up 24 percent from the same period a year ago, according to data from the local customs authorities.

The two duty-free shops in the island, one in the provincial capital of Haikou and the other in the resort city of Sanya, received 1.47 million customers and sold more than 7 million items in the first half.

The State Council gave Hainan permission to conduct a trial offshore duty-free program on April 20, 2011, to help develop the island into a world-class tourist destination by 2020.