Sanya, on the island of Hainan in the South China Sea, is the southernmost city in China and a booming holiday destination for Chinese tourists, boasting an ever-growing number of resorts aimed at both Chinese and international tourists.
Now, it will also be home to the world’s largest duty free offering, some 350,000 square meters of duty-free retail space, says a report in industry publication the Moodie Report.
Situated in Haitang Bay, Hainan International Duty Free City will feature a massive retail complex, a luxury brand exhibition area, a designer hotel and a major food and beverage area, according to the publication.
The plans were unveiled by the China Duty Free Group at a May 16 industry event in Singapore.
This year, Hainan province became a duty free area for both domestic and international tourists, a bid to make it more competitive with neighboring Hong Kong.
However, its shopping facilities seemingly haven’t kept up pace, with domestic media outlets claiming thousands of tourists swamped a new duty free store on the island when it opened earlier this month.
Phase one of the two-stage project will be open in two to three years, according to the Moodie Report.