China Report
The Moodie Davitt Report view: Hailing the offshore duty free policy
The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie has been conducting a series of interviews with Hainan television and internet media on the rapid development of Hainan’s offshore duty free industry. The interview requests came amid intense local media interest in the sector during the build-up to the annual ‘Two Sessions’ meeting of the Hainan Provincial Legislature in late January. Below in both English and Mandarin are some excerpts from those interviews with television stations SSTV and Sansha News and WeChat title New Hainan Media.
海南距离成为世界级免税购物新目的地还有多远的距离？
How far is Hainan from becoming a new world-class duty-free shopping destination?
Martin Moodie: Hainan already is a world-class duty free shopping destination. In terms of consumer benefits, it’s actually way out front because of the generous duty free allowances. The range of categories and brands is already on a par with other top class duty free shops and with more stores opening, the consumer has more choice than ever.
To keep maintaining the progress, the duty free industry has to work very hard to train staff better; to improve logistics to minimise queuing times; to upgrade merchandising and store design in some cases; and to continue to integrate online to offline. I am sure the airport pick-up system can be streamlined and improved but overall the industry is heading very much in the right direction.
Talking about the power of the offshore duty free business with SSTV News (click to play)
您会建议海南开放什么样的政策来继续释放免税商业的能量？
What kind of policy would you suggest for Hainan to boost the development of its duty-free industry?
The central and Hainan governments have led the world in their far-sighted offshore duty free shopping policy and I believe they will enhance the policy even more in the future.
I think it’s very important to keep stimulating the business to ensure that Chinese shoppers want to shop in Hainan, not just visitors from the Mainland but also the local people. I understand that a new policy will encourage duty free shopping for local residents and that will be a further benefit to the people and the economy.
I think that as long as the industry is carefully regulated, it will continue to receive tremendous support from famous international brands. The future looks very bright indeed.
Images from the TV coverage of the latest openings
Showcasing the offshore duty free channel on Chinese TV
请简短总结过去的一年海南免税行业的发展。
Could you please make a summary of Hainan’s progress in developing the duty free industry in 2020?
Hainan’s duty free industry took giant strides during 2020 and it took those strides while the rest of the world was sadly going backwards due to the pandemic.
Hainan was the single hotspot globally for the duty free market in 2020 and the introduction of the enhanced duty free shopping policy on 1 July was simply a game changer. The shopping allowance was tripled, the number of categories enlarged, previous restrictions on single purchases removed. It was a brilliant stimulus policy that helped everyone – the consumers, the retailers, the brands and of course the Hainan economy – through all the economic benefits that all these visitors to the island bring.
As I said in a recent interview – in the global duty free shopping industry, all roads lead to China and the main highway runs straight to Hainan.
As a result, the CDF Mall in Haitang Bay grew to become the world’s number one duty free retail location in 2020 and China Duty Free Group, the world’s leading duty free retailer according to The Moodie Davitt Report.
Duty free sales in Hainan in 2020 shattered all previous records – rising by over +127%. Extraordinary numbers.
But 2020 was also notable for the other reasons. It saw the creation of several more duty free licences in Haikou and Sanya, which has led to multiple store openings in late 2020 and in early 2021. This is giving the consumer more choice and will help stimulate the business – and Hainan’s economy – even more.
Finally, I must mention the Hainan Free Trade Port development. What a hugely ambitious project this is and I have to say how impressed I am by the work of the Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development (Hainan IEDB), which has worked so hard and successfully to attract international investment to Hainan. Hainan IEDB is organising the China International Consumer Products Expo in Hainan on 7-10 May and I am sure it will be a great success.
The Free Trade Port development will transform all aspects of Hainan’s economy and is obviously helping to take the duty free industry to a whole new level.
Martin Moodie discusses the burgeoning business with Sansha News (click to play)
全球免税业知名研究机构Moodie Davitt Report创始人Martin Moodie
新海南客户端、南海网、南国都市报记者 汪慧
推动海南建设具有世界影响力的国际旅游消费中心，是高质量发展要求在海南的具体体现。2020年以来，“升级扩容”后的海南离岛免税政策不断释放红利，有效吸引疫情下海外消费回流，以令人瞩目的销售业绩成为疫情下全球免税品市场最亮色。
免税购物的火热不仅成为国内经济热词，也引起了世界免税业的关注。这其中，全球免税业知名研究机构Moodie Davitt Report(《穆迪报告》)对海南免税政策给予了高度关注和积极支持。2020年7月1日免税新政出台后，该机构第一时间向全球发布新政内容，推介海南自贸港免税产业投资机遇。
作为Moodie Davitt Report创始人兼董事长，Martin Moodie(马丁·穆迪)对海南离岛免税有着怎样的评价？又有何独到建议？继2020年7月首次专访后，Martin Moodi近日再次以“云端对话”形式接受了新海南客户端、南海网、南国都市报独家专访。
“海南的免税成绩单非常亮眼”
离岛免税新政刺激下，海南成为中国居民旅游及相关服务消费的重要承接地，形成了强大的“引力场”。2020年，海南岛的免税销售额超过320亿元。
Martin Moodie如何评价这份成绩单？“2020年海南离岛免税行业的表现非同寻常，尤其是在全球疫情大流行的背景下，免税和旅游零售市场灾难性低迷，国际客运量几乎停滞不前，免税和其他旅行相关消费也遭受重创，但海南离岛免税经营快速回升，取得了亮眼的成绩。”他评价道，这份成绩不仅是相关零售商的胜利，也是官方政策的胜利。
Martin Moodie认为，作为整个旅游业不可或缺的组成部分，海南离岛免税业的未来将非常光明。他表示，除了给力政策，他了解到海南刚刚启动了环岛旅游公路建设，将开创全岛旅游新格局，这也将助力旅游消费持续增长。“随着酒店、休闲设施、餐馆、主题公园等旅游基础设施的不断完善，免税行业也会随之增长。这是一种双向的关系——极具吸引力的免税购物政策也将有助于旅游业的回报。”他表示。
海南鼓励适度竞争将激励所有零售商提高标准
显然，海南鼓励适度竞争的战略规划，会给市场带来新的变化和气象。对此，Martin Moodie表示，海南免税牌照的增加，对市场将产生广泛而积极的影响。“将提供更多的竞争，从而激励所有零售商提高标准，为顾客带来更多种类的产品和体验。”他表示。
近半年来，海南离岛免税发生了非常多新变化，最明显的是，适度竞争有了实质性进展，新的市场主体相继入驻。目前海南已有5家市场主体、10家免税店。6家新店中，位于三亚的3家已于2020年12月30日开业，位于海口的3家也将在近期开业。
同时，他也结合韩国免税业的反面经验给出了独到建议：“新牌照的发放应有度，我们已经看到，韩国政府一再犯的错误，就是在首尔发放了太多牌照，这些免税店中有许多已经陷入困境，尤其是中小型企业。”他表示，在全岛营造适度的新竞争格局是好的，但应“可控”。
他建议，为了避免韩国的失败经验，海南免税零售商关键在于通过独家产品和概念，以及针对自己特定客户的个性化定制方案来区分产品。他认为，所有的零售商——无论是老零售商还是新零售商，都必须更好地精心培训员工、改善物流，以减少排队时间，并继续将线上线下整合。“特别需要注意的是，要避免简单复制竞争对手。”Martin Moodie补充谈到。
年轻的海南免税业有着巨大潜力 建议零售商加强员工培训
分析数据和走访免税店可发现，海南离岛免税除了销售额、购物人数渗透率等“数据之变”外，在品牌体系丰富化、销售结构优化等方面也“渐入佳境”。
海口日月广场免税店新入驻了宝格丽、蒂芙尼、普拉达等高档品牌；三亚国际免税城装修翻新古驰、卡地亚等品牌店面，引进了江诗丹顿、MOSCHINO等国际知名品牌；海口美兰机场新引进肖邦、万国、积家等高档腕表品牌，让购物旅客拥有更多选择。
在Martin Moodie看来，奢侈品牌纷纷来到海南背后，是因为各大品牌都在关注着海南的发展进程。他认为，海南的奢侈品和离岸免税行业仍然相对年轻，各大品牌都意识到海南的巨大潜力。
Martin Moodie举例分析称，中国消费者一直是世界上奢侈手表的主要购买者，但其中很多是在国外免税商店或低税国家购买的。现在，由于疫情因素和海南免税政策调整等影响，很多人已经转向海南。“我预测，伴随着海南自贸港发展，海南最终会吸引所有的大奢侈品牌。”他向新海南客户端、南海网、南国都市报记者表示。
2020年7月1日开始施的离岛免税购物政策可谓“史上最强调整”。在成绩面前，业内人士也指出，新政施才半年，还需要一段时间充分释放效应。当前，海南正着重在优化布局和提升便利化服务上狠下功夫，通过增加主体完善免税店布局、改进提货方式等，提升离岛免税购物体验。
结合世界免税业先进经验，Martin Moodie对海南离岛免税有何建议？“行业如果呈现海南免税行业这样的快速增长，难免就会遇到一些初期问题。”他分享道，例如，当有这么多的人来到免税店选购或预订商品，可能会面临排长队或者一些后勤延误。
“全球的教训是，熟练使用技术有助于改善消费者的便利性。”他建议道。其次，在员工培训质量方面，海南的零售商可以向国际同行学习很多。他再次强调，拥有了解产品和服务的员工至关重要，这将真正使海南的每一家旅游零售商受益，也将使消费者受益。
旅游零售业数字化趋势加速
疫情带来了很多变化，比如在线购物的比例较以往明显增加，旅游零售业也因此加速了数字化转型。
对此，海南免税业已经积极探索。2020年上半年，三亚红树林度假酒店和南山旅游景区内的两家免税体验店同步“开门迎客”，创造了线下免税品展示、线上购买的离岛免税新模式。目前，这种模式正在继续推广。
“在过去，全球免税市场采用数字技术的速度实际上相当缓慢，但近年来随着电子商务和通信技术快速发展，特别是此次疫情发生，迫使零售商加快数字化步伐。”Martin Moodie认为，像直播这样的数字交流平台将变得越来越重要，“中国在这方面处于世界领先地位。”他补充道。
政策指引下，海南正积极培育旅游新形式、新模式，多举措提高海岛免税购物体验，积极建设国际旅游消费中心……“购物天堂”未来可期。
这也让曾多次到访海南的Martin Moodie倍感期待，“海南的发展日新月异，离岛免税是21世纪第三个十年中最大的热点！期待看到海南免税业业绩持续飙升，实现质的飞跃。”他说，希望尽快再回访海南，感受自由贸易港建设带来的变化。
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The Moodie Davitt eZine Issue 291 | 9 February 2021
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 15 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (Moodie International Ltd). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please e-mail sinead@moodiedavittreport.com