Sales at Hainan duty-free shops reach 4.68 bln yuan  

海南离岛免税施行两年：销售免税品金额46.8亿元

海口海关25日提供的最新数据显示，自2011年4月20日海南省实施离岛免税政策以来，截至今年4月20日，海口海关共监管三亚、海口两家免税店对离岛旅客销售免税品676万件，销售金额46.8亿元人民币，购买人数约194万人次。

Haikou (CNS) -- By April 20, tourists in Hainan had purchased 6.76 million duty-free items worth 4.68 billion yuan (US$754 million), according to figures released by local customs on Thursday.

Partly due to its tax rebate plan, Hainan witnessed rapid growth in tourism-related revenues in 2011 and 2012, with year-on-year rises of 25.8 percent and 17 percent respectively.

Total retail sales of consumer goods in Hainan grew by 18.8 percent in 2011 and 15 percent in 2012 on a year-on-year basis.

The customs authority said purchasers at duty-free shops increased by 36.3 percent per day (from 2,742 to 3,737) after the government raised the cap to 8,000 yuan and included three categories of goods on its list of duty-free items last November.

Both tourists visiting the island and local residents have been able to purchase tax-free commodities from designated shops before flying to other destinations in China since April 20, 2011.