China Duty Free Group (CDFG) on 25 September celebrated its latest downtown duty-free store opening in Chengdu, Sichuan.
Located at Yanlord Landmark Plaza in Chengdu’s central Jinjiang District, it is the city’s first downtown duty-free store and has been jointly developed by CDFG and the Jinjiang District Xingjin Commercial Investment Company.
China Duty Free Group celebrated the expansion of its already vast China retail footprint with traditional fanfare
The opening marks a significant milestone in the Sichuan capital’s journey toward becoming an important consumption hub.
Jin Hongyan, Chief Accountant of China Tourism Group, attended the grand opening ceremony alongside provincial, municipal and district officials, as well as industry guests and media representatives.
Jin Hongyan, Chief Accountant of China Tourism Group, addresses guests during the opening ceremony
The Chengdu downtown store primarily serves Chinese and international travellers with valid documents who are scheduled to depart the country via air or international cruise within 60 days (inclusive). The store also offers an instant tax-refund service, aimed to further streamline the duty-free retail experience for departing visitors and boost spending.
The Chengdu downtown store serves as a duty-free model project for the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin City Economic Circle, with the goal of encouraging the repatriation of overseas consumer spending and advancing the national ‘dual circulation’ development strategy in western China.
Customers try on beauty products within the widely ranged perfumes & cosmetics department
The opening helps inject fresh momentum into the regional economy, significantly elevate Chengdu’s status as a core consumption hub, and strengthen this inland region’s ability to connect with global resources and compete internationally.
Occupying a prime location in Chengdu’s central business district, the store represents a key effort to explore innovative retail models that integrate ‘duty free + duty paid’, ‘offline + online’ and ‘international + domestic’ offerings.
The store’s duty-free section features an array of renowned international brands across popular categories such as beauty and fragrances, wines & spirits, fashion, watches & jewellery, as well as travel accessories.
The duty-paid section brings together a diverse mix of offerings, including Chinese beauty brands, toys, and health and wellness products, and even has a whisky tasting bar.
The store features a ‘China-chic’ zone, dedicated to domestic brands and products
By integrating elements of Sichuan culture, the store also shines a light on premium local specialities such as Sichuan liquor and delicacies, and creative products inspired by Sanxingdui, a Bronze Age archaeological site located in Sichuan.
The panda-themed ‘China-chic’ zone focusing on high-quality domestic brands and products, traditional and artisanal handicrafts, is another highlight.
CDFG hopes that by creating a retail scenario that fuses an international vision with local characteristics, it will successfully transform cultural heritage into consumer appeal and support the broader initiative to promote Chengdu-made products beyond the province and onto the global stage.
To celebrate the opening, CDFG has launched a series of promotional offers. Shoppers receive instant-use vouchers upon entering the store, and those who join the CDFG membership programme onsite will enjoy an exclusive CNY666 (US$93.30) coupon package, both of which can be used in a wide range of categories.
A foreign shopper explores traditional Chinese handicrafts at the store
As a key pillar in Chengdu’s development as an international consumption hub, the downtown duty-free store serves not only as a platform for global retail products, but also as a new window for showcasing local culture and heritage in a contemporary and compelling way.
By leveraging the global resources and channel strengths of CDFG and its parent company China Tourism Group, the Chengdu downtown store will continuously tell Chengdu stories to an international audience and help travellers discover the charm of Sichuan through immersive shopping experiences.
Source: © The Moodie Davitt Report