A customer selects products at a duty-free shopping mall in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

Duty-free shopping in south China's resort island province of Hainan got off to a strong start over the New Year holiday, with offshore duty-free sales reaching 712 million yuan (about 101.3 million U.S. dollars) from Jan. 1 to 3, up 128.9 percent year on year, Haikou Customs said on Sunday.

Customs recorded the sale of 442,000 duty-free items during the three-day holiday, up 52.4 percent compared with the same period last year, while the number of shoppers rose 60.6 percent year on year to 83,500, it said.

Major duty-free shops rolled out promotions to spur spending, including discounts and vouchers, and many offered entertainment events and free shuttle buses to attract consumers.

The rapid growth follows a new duty-free policy implemented in November 2025, which expanded the range of eligible goods. Popular new items included mini drones and electronic guitars, while imports like infant formula and baby diapers saw strong demand from residents.

Currently, travelers visiting the island can enjoy a duty-free shopping quota of 100,000 yuan per person each year. The province has reported strong offshore duty-free sales over the past few years since raising its annual tax-free shopping quota from 30,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan per person on July 1, 2020. 

A staff member introduces duty-free policies to customers at a duty-free shopping mall in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

Customers select products at a duty-free shopping mall in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

Customers select products at a duty-free shopping mall in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

Customers select products at a duty-free shopping mall in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

Customers select products at a duty-free shopping mall in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)