Tax Free World Association to host conference in China’s Hainan

The Tax Free World Association (TFWA) will host the fourth edition of the China’s Century Conference in the island province of Hainan, known as China’s Hawaii, from 5-7 March 2019, as China celebrates the 40th anniversary of duty free.

Breakdown of last year’s attendees by region

Hainan, one of China’s most popular tourist destinations, is home to a thriving offshore duty free industry, with many of the industry’s leading brands present. In an unprecedented move, the island province in southern China was also tipped earlier this year as a possible pilot province for gambling, which could draw further luxury spending and visitor numbers.

The three-day conference, organised with the support of the Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA), will be held at Grand Hyatt Sanya Haitang Bay hotel.

Confirmed sponsors and partners for the prestigious event include Furla as the day one conference lunch sponsor, Mondelēz as the day one mid-morning conference coffee break and delegate gift sponsor, and DFS as the sponsor for the Gala Dinner.

Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA president, said: “2019 will see the 40^th anniversary of duty free in China, and the country has been one of our industry’s main growth drivers for much of that time.

“For anyone looking to understand and maximise the opportunity of this fast evolving and vast market, this is a must-attend event. After a fantastic few days in Guangzhou in 2017, we are delighted to be returning to China in 2019 and visiting Hainan, a hugely important location for many of our members and business partners.”

The last TFWA China’s Century Conference, held in Guangzhou in March 2017, saw visitor numbers up by a substantial 6%, with over 400 people attending.

Delegates included representatives from over 200 companies, from China and beyond. More visitors than ever before attended meetings organised by TFWA’s ONE2ONE meeting service, with 123 different companies taking advantage of this facility.