A giant begonia flower blooms in Hainan – Haikou International Duty Free City set for June 2022 opening

The magnificent new Haikou International Duty Free City in Hainan province is on schedule for a June 2022 opening, according to China Tourism Group Duty Free (China Tourism Group), the parent company of China Duty Free Group (CDFG) which will run the operation. The RMB10 billion (US$1.6 billion) project is located on the east side of the new seaport near the capital city, Haikou. It covers some 675 mou (just over 110 acres), with a planned total construction area of about 926,000sq m. The facility comprises six plots, anchored by a sprawling shopping complex (plot 5) that will rank as the world’s biggest duty free retail space. Further details of the extraordinary project have recently emerged, with renderings underlining the development’s beauty as well as its vast scale (see images this page).

The design drawings, revealed publicly for the first time by China Tourism Group, illustrate the complex’s unique architectural design style, based on the begonia flower. The architectural design incorporates local elements such as Haikou’s nature and marine culture in an effort to create a unique and comfortable experience space for consumers. The renderings reflect the charms of Haikou, and the internationally-oriented, environmentally and ecologically friendly nature of the port city. To this, modern aesthetics and international sensibilities have been added to the design. A sense of fluidity flows through the complex, which features a variety of businesses, entertainment activities and an overall rainforest theme. It hopes to create a harmony between people, nature and architecture, and an extraordinarily enjoyable and elegant space where retail experience is transformed. In the latest design update, the main frame of the above-ground steel structure of the giant duty free commercial complex has now been capped. The topping of the project marks the completion of the main structure. Next up is the construction stage of curtain walls and roofing, and the related decorative work.

After the completion of the project, Hainan’s duty free shopping map will include a “new landmark”, forming a “north-south echo” with the existing Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Haitang Bay, Sanya, also run by CDFG, China Tourism Group said. The development includes duty free and duty paid retail, offices, high-end hotels and entertainment facilities, all designed to create a new benchmark for Chinese commercial projects and for tourism-related retail, China Tourism Group said. Tourists will enjoy not only shopping but a mixed-use wonderland incorporating a snow and rainforest environment; spectacular live theatre, plus art and world-class gourmet offerings. “This will become a one-stop comprehensive tourist destination that tourists cannot miss,” said China Tourism Group, which said that the construction of the main structure and floor slabs of the key Plot 5 project has basically been completed. “It is expected that in June 2022… the duty free commercial centre will be officially opened. As a participant in the offshore duty free shopping industry, China Tourism Group will continue to deepen its presence in the Hainan market and help Hainan build an international tourism consumption centre.”

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