As global tourism moves from a year of recovery to a year of growth in 2025, merchants around the world are turning to Alipay+, Ant International's cross-border mobile payment and digitization solution, to improve payments, loyalty programs, and the development of digital services, to better attract and welcome tourists for Chinese New Year, the first significant travel peak season of the year.
Alipay+ has over 35 international payment partners, connecting its 1.6 billion user accounts with over 90 million merchants in 66 markets. Alipay+ has recently enabled the acceptance of new partners, such as Kaspi.kz (Kazakhstan) and BigPay (Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand), connecting even more users with their businesses worldwide.
“Tourism plays an increasingly important role in local economies and accelerates the growth of merchants in all sectors, but companies must adapt to new digital habits and preferences," said Douglas Feagin, president of Ant International.
“Starting with mobile payments, Alipay+ offers merchants a range of solutions to connect better, engage and retain customers as travelers become more demanding in taking advantage of technology while traveling. We will continue to offer more innovative ways for businesses to transform and benefit from the growth of tourism,” adds Feagin.
Around the world, Alipay+ and its commercial partners are jointly presenting promotions for users of Alipay+ payment partners, in anticipation of this tremendous seasonal surge in travel.
Together with Alipay+, major retailers such as Resorts World Sentosa, Marina Bay Sands, Central Retail, King Power, Pavilion KL, Lotte World, Olive Young, Daimaru, Printemps, Galeries Lafayette, airport duty-free shops and more, through more than one hundred thousand shops, are driving engagement in-store and in the app with enhanced rewards.
Spain: During the Chinese New Year celebrations, tourists using Alipay+ will be able to enjoy various promotions and discount options in Spain. For example, visitors to Casa Batlló in Barcelona will be able to benefit from exclusive discounts on the purchase of tickets and souvenirs when paying with Alipay+. In addition, Alipay+ users in Spain will receive a random discount of up to 5 EUR on their first 10 purchases made at IVS vending machines, enhancing their travel experience with convenient payment options.
Europe: in popular European destinations such as the UK, France, Germany and Italy, users of Alipay+ payment partners can enjoy discounts at shops, restaurants and points of interest.
China: travelers can use Alipay or 13 international payment applications to make payments conveniently and easily. In addition, users of AlipayHK, Mpay, Touch 'n Go eWallet, TrueMoney and GCash can access promotional packages in more than 100 Cozy Consumption Zones in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chengdu, among others, with special discounts for merchants. The International Consumer-Friendly Zones program expands bilingual assistance, offers user guides, and reinforces training for businesses to provide a more welcoming experience to travelers.
South Korea: Alipay+ is accepted by more than 2 million businesses, including all those that accept ZeroPay. Users can enjoy tiered discounts at selected merchants. In Seoul, users can also look forward to additional benefits, including at Lotte World and select stores in Myeongdong, Dongdaemun, and Seongsu district. To make getting around easier, the NAMANE x Alipay+ Transit Pass Card has recently been launched, which can be used on buses and subways across the country.
Japan: Alipay+ connects to more than 3 million merchants across the country, including izakayas, wagashi shops, snack shops, hostels, leading retailers, health and beauty shops and attractions such as Tokyo SKYTREE, Tokyo Solamachi and Tokyo mizumachi.
Southeast Asia: Alipay+ is widely accepted, including through DuitNow in Malaysia and SGQR in Singapore, and local transportation options such as trains in Malaysia and Thailand or taxis in Singapore. In the Philippines, Alipay+ welcomes SM Malls, the largest chain of stores in the Philippines and a cornerstone of Filipino lifestyle culture, and Hennan Resort, a top hotel brand with 10 resorts in Boracay and Bohol. Users can expect special promotions at major retailers such as Pavilion KL, Central Retail in Thailand and Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore, along with domestic vouchers to use at any local merchant that accepts Alipay+.
Middle East: users of payment partner Alipay+ will enjoy discounts at all Alipay+ merchants in the region and increased rewards at duty-free shops in major airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Istanbul.
Unified solution for merchants to attract travelers with digital and payment services
Travelers can use their preferred payment app, including e-wallets, banking apps, and BNPL, to pay seamlessly at online and offline merchants throughout their trip, from OTAs, airlines, and hotels to street vendors, restaurants, shopping malls, attractions, transportation ,and more.
More than 90% of Alipay+ merchants are micro-enterprises, which boosts the growth of these small businesses by accepting multiple international payment applications while allowing users to travel like locals.
Alipay+ is accepted in offline shops in the main destinations in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, covering a wide range of travel scenarios. In the case of Europe, Alipay+ continues to increase its acceptance in Europe, with more than 400,000 shops and supports interoperable payments through Bluecode.
It is also worth noting that Alipay+ offers app development solutions so that users of its payment partners can access a range of services, such as booking tickets for tourist visits, road transport, and tax refunds, directly from the application, saving them the hassle of downloading additional applications or spending time on physical processes.
In this sense, before the Chinese New Year, the Geneva Tourism Office is taking advantage of Alipay+'s mini-programs solution to launch a hub integrated into certain banking applications and e-wallets to help tourists navigate, book attractions, and enhance their travel experience in Switzerland.
For its part, Antom, Ant International's payment and digitalization service provider for merchants, Alipay+, also connects the main Asian e-wallets with online travel platforms, most recently with AirAsia MOVE and Booking.com, simplifying the overall payment process for Asian travelers looking for a getaway this Chinese New Year and beyond.
Finally, through A+Rewards, an in-app destination marketing platform, merchants and tourist offices can directly engage with travelers, showcasing each destination's best dining, attractions, and shopping and offering exclusive promotions to attract more customers.
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