Making sense of a changing China

As a symbol of the breakneck pace that characterises China’s progress, the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex at Haitang Bay is just about perfect. When the China Duty Free Mall, the development’s centrepiece, opened in September 2014, it was the world’s largest duty free shopping centre with 70,000 square metres of retail space. Built just 3 years after the Chinese government introduced its offshore duty free policy, Haitang Bay was a bold statement of intent. Fast forward 28 months and 2017 duty free sales there reached US$920.9 million, up a healthy 29% on the year before. Some 5.5 million customers visited the facility, making 1.3 million purchases with an average transaction value of over US$700.

It seems only apt that Sanya Haitang Bay will host the next TFWA China’s Century Conference, to be held at the Grand Hyatt from 5 to 7 March in partnership with APTRA. A core theme will be understanding young China, more important than ever given the fast-changing tastes of the country’s travelling consumers. As group trips give way to independent travel, the Conference will hear from industry executives as well experts in Chinese travel and tourism. Kevin Guo, General Manager of Strategic Cooperation and Marketing Innovation for Ctrip.com, will examine the latest travel and shopping trends among Chinese tourists. Dr Lianping Ren, Assistant Professor at Macau’s Institute for Tourism Studies, will look at current infrastructure projects and emerging destinations. Mirko Wang, CEO of China’s favourite overseas shopping app Jessica’s Secret, is another confirmed speaker, and delegates will hear highlights of an exclusive TFWA- and APTRA-commissioned study into the perceptions of Chinese consumers aged 18-30.

Pre-registration for the Conference will open online in December, so keep an eye on tfwa.com for further details, including the programme and networking options.  

Discover more about the TFWA China’s Century Conference