The experience center of the Qingdao Tourism International Duty-free store opens on April 25. [Photo/WeChat account: qdfbwx]

The experience center of the Qingdao Tourism International Duty-free store opened at the Qingdao Shanghai Cooperation Organization Trade Center in the China-SCO demonstration zone in Qingdao on April 25.

The center, combining tourism and new retail, will provide a one-stop cross-border duty-free shopping experience for visitors. It is expected to develop into a new hub for fashion and shopping in northern China, according to officials.

Taking advantage of the favorable policies under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, Qingdao Tourism Group invested 20 million yuan ($3.1 million) to establish Qingdao Tourism International Development Co in December 2020 and built the QTID.

Consumers can now buy high-end imported goods without going abroad and experience fast, convenient, low-cost, and high-quality cross-border duty-free shopping services at QTID.

Meng Shengqing, deputy director of the management committee of the China-SCO demonstration zone in Qingdao, noted that they will offer their full support for the zone in its efforts to apply for tax-free benefits and promote cooperation between Qingdao Tourism Group and Portuguese-speaking countries.

According to the plan, Qingdao Tourism International Development Co will work to sell cross-borders products, merchandise from SCO member countries and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, and tourism products by cross-border e-commerce models.

Officials have said that another such experience center will be launched at the Qingdao International Conference Center of the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center in the next few days and will display hundreds of products.