China's resort island duty-free sales rise during Spring Festival

HAIKOU - The popular holiday island of Hainan in southern China sold 321,300 offshore duty-free items, worth 340 million yuan ($52.1 million), during the week-long Spring Festival holiday, according to customs sources.

Haikou customs on Wednesday said they saw 8.36 percent year on year sales increase. Per capita expenses on duty-free goods hit 4,978 yuan, rising 20.85 percent compared to the same period last year.

Hainan relaxed its limits on offshore duty-free shopping on Feb 1, 2016. The new policy allows non-locals to buy duty-free products worth up to 16,000 yuan ($2,442) before they fly out off the island, without any restriction on the number of items.

Before the policy took effect, non-locals were allowed to buy duty-free items in Hainan twice a year, each purchase was limited to 8,000 yuan.

Customs said that the policy was good for offshore duty-free shopping during the holiday period.