(ECNS) -- Haikou Customs supervised 22.22 billion yuan ($3.08 billion) in offshore duty-free sales since a revised policy took effect in November 2025, the customs authority said yesterday.

From November 2025 to April 2026, Hainan recorded 2.97 million passenger trips and sold 17.45 million duty-free items, up 22.6%, 9.4% and 5.5% respectively compared with the same period a year earlier, according to Haikou Customs.

The revised policy expanded duty-free goods from 45 to 47 categories, adding pet supplies and portable musical instruments. It also broadened the range of items within existing categories. Robot vacuums and vacuum cleaners under small appliances, digital photography equipment and mini drones under electronics, as well as mice and keyboards under tablet computers.

Domestic products, including clothing, scarves, ceramics, coffee and tea are now eligible for sale in duty-free shops, with value-added and consumption tax refunded or exempted.

A customer shops at CDF Haikou International Duty-Free City on Jan 18, 2026. (Photo: China News Service / Luo Yunfei)

For Hainan residents, the policy allows unlimited duty-free purchases through the "buy-and-pick-up" method during any calendar year in which they have at least one record of leaving the island.

"Previously, the selection of goods was rather limited. This time, I was able to buy a snack set for my pet and a mini guitar, so it is such a pleasant surprise," said a visitor from Jiangsu.

A manager at the Wangfujing International Duty-Free Port in Wanning said both foot traffic and sales have seen notable growth since the new policy took effect. The store has increased supply and expanded its brand selection to meet more diverse demand.

Haikou Customs said it has upgraded its smart supervision system, applying unique code management to each product across in-store sales, on-site pickup and post-departure verification. It is also using a big data model to monitor consumer flow, forecast peak traffic flow and allocate inspection resources efficiently.

(By Tang Yuxian)