The shop offers perfume, cosmetics, tobacco and wine as well as food, health-care products and travel accessories.

More top perfume and cosmetics brands are due to be added to the shop's range, according to an airport official.

Chengdu rated most livable city

An airport spokesman told reporters that they supported the 72-hour visa-free policy through commercials and by improving hardware construction and elevating the management level.

Chengdu was the fourth Chinese city, after Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, to implement the 72-hour visa-free policy for foreigners.

In 2013, the overall capacity of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport reached more than 500,000 tons.

There were altogether more than 250,532 airplanes taking off and landing from the airport, with the daily average number of the airplanes surpassing 687. To date, Chengdu has opened 73 international flights. Statistics from the Exit-Entry Administration Department of Chengdu Municipal Public Security Bureau showed that between September and March, 3,029 foreigners passed through Chengdu customs.

Most of them were from the United States, Britain and Germany.

A spokesman for the exit-entry administration department said the bureau made preparations for the new policy. He said these included training the city's public security departments and hotels and the launch of a round-the-clock hotline in both English and Chinese to answer questions about the policy.

The department promoted the policy through visits to foreign accumulated communities, companies and colleges, brochures sent to foreigners in Chengdu and messages broadcast on local TV stations.

The spokesman said the department also helped foreigners who have to stay longer than 72 hours in Chengdu by processing all the permits needed within three working days.