On Century duty in Haitang Bay, China

by Martin Moodie |
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Martin Moodie

Martin Moodie is the Founder & Chairman of The Moodie Report.

I’ve arrived at the Grand Hyatt Sanya, venue for this week’s China’s Century’s Conference held by TFWA in Haitang Bay on Hainan Island.

I flew in from Hong Kong on the 11.15 Hong Kong Airlines flight along with, it appeared, half the travel retail industry. They’re here to listen to the latest updates on the market and the nationality that jointly dominate 21st century travel retail.

Travel retail industry delegates arrive in sizable numbers for TFWA’s China’s Century Conference at Sanya Phoenix International Airport.
Look who just popped up into my picture. Industry veteran Sunil Tuli, King Power Travel Retail and Duty Free Managing Director.

The TFWA event follows hot on the heels of our own Trinity Forum in Shanghai last October, a double act that underlines the critical importance of this market. The location is, of course, ultra-relevant. We’re just a short distance away from China Duty Free Group’s acclaimed Haitang Bay shopping complex, to which a visit while I am here is mandatory.

After tonight’s Opening Cocktail there are two full days of proceedings interspersed with a Gala Dinner tomorrow night. I’ll be bringing you the most salient moments in pretty much real-time over the days ahead.

From the window of my 18th floor Moodie Davitt Report Interim Hainan Bureau gazing over the Haitang Bay hinterland, the panoramic view shows an enormous amount of development going on. That’s clear evidence that while the growth of offshore duty free shopping here since it was introduced in 2011 has been extraordinary, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

The Moodie Davitt Report Interim Hainan Bureau is open for business.