On location: ‘The new tide rises’ as Zhuhai Duty Free celebrates Sanya Bay One

The Moodie Davitt Report was on hand – represented by Chief China Representative Zhang Yimei – at a preview and celebration of the Sanya Bay One project being developed by Zhuhai Duty Free Group in partnership with leading travel retailer Avolta.

Mar 4, 2025 - 05:58

On location: ‘The new tide rises’ as Zhuhai Duty Free celebrates Sanya Bay One

**This artist’s rendering captures the scale and grandeur of the Sanya Bay One Sunday Mall project (All images courtesy of Zhuhai Duty Free Group)**

CHINA. State-owned travel retailer Zhuhai Duty Free Group hosted a high-profile investment promotion event on 28 February to officially introduce its Sanya Bay One Sunday Mall project in Hainan.

The Moodie Davitt Report was on hand – represented by Chief China Representative Zhang Yimei – at a key gathering of business partners and local government officials, including representatives from Sanya Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Tianya District government, Sanya Central Business District Administration and Zhuhai Investment Holding Co.

**Leaders toast the future success of the ambitious project**

They were joined by more than 130 executives from global companies, brands and organisations – including The Estée Lauder Companies, L’Oréal Group, Clarins, Moët Hennessy and TFWA – in an in-depth showing of support which highlighted Sanya Bay One’s commercial potential and broader regional investment opportunities.

As reported, Sanya Bay One is being developed by Zhuhai Duty Free Group in partnership with leading travel retailer Avolta as a premium duty-paid retail+ complex offering a powerful array of international brands.

The Moodie Davitt Report Chief China Representative Zhang Yimei was an honoured guest at the event. The Moodie Davitt Report is the only international travel retail title with a presence in China and on WeChat (dual platforms*).

During the event, Sanya Central Business District Administration Chief Planner Zhai Bingzhe underlined Sanya’s rapid development as a commercial hub under the Hainan Free Trade Port initiative, driven by its ecological advantages, policy benefits and favourable investment environment.

**‘The new tide rises’ was the evocative epithet for the Gala Dinner**

**Local culture and modern art converged in this special performance**

Sanya Central Business District Administration’s Director of Business Environment Promotion Zuo Fengjuan also provided an overview of the Sanya Central Business District and the investment potential of the Sanya Bay One project.

(Above and below) Brand executives inspect the project

In addition, Zhuhai Duty Free Group Chairman Chen Hui underscored the project’s role in integrating global retail trends with Sanya’s local identity, positioning it as a key component in developing an international tourism consumption hub.

**Zhuhai Duty Free Group Chairman Chen Hui stressed the group’s commitment to fostering a strong commercial ecosystem through strategic partnerships**

As reported, Sanya Bay One is a key project in Hainan Province, described as an extremely rare high-end waterfront commercial complex in the Sunshine Coast area. As an integral part of the project, the Sunday Mall boasts 120,000sq m of commercial area, designed with “an international vision, leveraging top-tier resources and local cultural elements”.

Zhuhai Duty Free parent Gree Real Estate acquired the site in 2020, positioning it as a high-end coastal commercial and business district.

Sanya Central Business District Administration Chief Planner Zhai Bingzhe said Sanya is powering forward under the Hainan Free Trade Port programme, driven by a combination of environmental advantages, policy benefits and a favourable investment climate

Since its commencement in 2021, Sanya Bay One, with a construction area of 160,000sq m, has been recognised as a key provincial initiative for four consecutive years. By the end of 2024, Gree Real Estate and Zhuhai Duty Free completed a major asset restructuring, enhancing the project’s competitiveness.

**Zuo Fengjuan, Director of the Business Environment Promotion Center of Sanya Central Business District Administration, highlighted Sanya Bay One’s considerable investment potential**

With the full implementation of Hainan Free Trade Port policies this year, Sanya’s commercial potential is expected to grow, making Sanya Bay One a key investment destination, Zhuhai Duty Free remarked.