South China's Hainan Province has been embracing a surge in consumption and tourism since the launch of the island-wide special customs operations, according to data released by Haikou Customs.

The island-wide special customs operations took effect on Dec 18 in the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), the world's largest FTP by area, allowing freer entry of overseas goods, expanded zero-tariff coverage and more business-friendly measures.

According to data from Haikou Customs, in the first week after the special customs operations, duty-free shopping value in Hainan reached 1.1 billion yuan (over 157 million US dollars), a year-on-year increase of 54.9 percent.

The combined contribution of the special customs operations and the New Year holiday led to a surge in Hainan's offshore duty-free consumption market, where a wide range of promotional activities have recently been launched.

At the Sanya International Duty-Free Shopping Complex, the newly opened Sunset Market has attracted over 20 brands and IP pop-up stores, offering the waves of visiting consumers a refreshing shopping experience.

"I bought two outfits and two bags. They were much cheaper than normal after the discount," said Lin Yanfang, a Chinese tourist.

"That's one of the biggest places like that that we've seen. And then, there are many brands and many options available, so a very nice place to shop," said a French visitor.

Throughout 2025, Hainan is projected to have received over 100 million domestic and international tourists, with total tourist spending exceeding 200 billion yuan. As the first holiday after the special customs operations, the coastal province is becoming a popular choice for many tourists around the world.

"I think that Hainan is a very wonderful place. I like Hainan, I like the good nature in Hainan," said a tourist from Russia.

Most foreigners are entering Hainan under the visa-free policy. Whether through manual processing or self-service channels with facial recognition, foreign tourists can achieve seamless customs clearance in less than two minutes.

"It's very fast. The process is very good. It (goes) very smoothly. So it's very good to and easy to visit now," said a visitor from Kazakhstan.