THE WHAT? Three downtown offshore duty-free stores in Sanya have been temporarily closed due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in Hainan, China. 

THE DETAILS Sanya International Duty Free City, including CDF Mall, the CNSC and Hainan Tourism Duty Free Shopping Complex stores all closed, according to New Hainan, while Haikou, TimesDF (Shenzhen Duty Free Group and DFS) at Mission Hills and GDF Plaza and CDF in Mova Mall remain open.

THE WHY? The closures are the second in the area in recent weeks, with China attempting to contain a near-nationwide COVID outbreak relating to the Omicron variant.

Jason Cao of DutyFree Expert (DFE) Cao wrote: “Based on a combination of the high infectiousness of the Omicron variant, the rising trend of the pandemic outbreak in various provinces and Hainan, and existing domestic pandemic control policies, DFE believes that in the next one month at least, Hainan’s offshore duty free sector will face serious challenges.

“It is unlikely that the passenger flow during the 1st May Golden Week will return to the level of the same period last year.”