Mobile Payment Boosting International Tourism during the Holiday Season
In a recent surge of inbound travel-related consumption during the National Day holiday in China, mobile payment methods have played a significant role in fuelling this trend, according to experts in the industry. Data from Alipay, a leading online payment platform, revealed a substantial increase in spending by inbound visitors, with transactions soaring by 120 per cent year-on-year during the first four days of the holiday period from 1st to 7th October.
Tourists from over 10 countries and regions that have visa-free access to China saw a nearly threefold increase in their Alipay usage, contributing to the growth in transactions. Businesses in China are also leveraging this trend, with the number of merchants utilising Alipay for foreign customers doubling compared to the same period last year.
The top services availed by foreign tourists through Alipay during the National Day holiday included ride-hailing, bike-sharing, flight and train bookings, and food delivery. Ouyang Rihui, from the China Centre for Internet Economy Research, highlighted that factors such as visa-free access, flight availability, and convenient mobile payments are driving the rise in inbound tourism in China, benefitting domestic consumption and the global tourism industry.
To further enhance the convenience of transactions for international visitors, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Data Administration announced a pilot programme in eight cities to simplify the process for individual businesses to adopt mobile payment platforms. This initiative aims to streamline the handling of payment codes for foreign credit cards, benefiting over 11 million individual business entities across the nation.
China has been actively facilitating payment options for foreign visitors, with recent guidelines aimed at improving bank card accessibility, promoting cashless transactions, and expanding mobile payment choices for travellers. As per the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese mainland recorded an estimated 95 million trips by foreign tourists in the first nine months of the year, marking a 55.4 per cent increase year-on-year.
Luigi Gambardella, president of ChinaEU, praised China’s efforts in enhancing mobile payment options for international users, noting that it not only benefits travellers and merchants but also solidifies China’s position as a global leader in mobile payments and fintech advancements.
The push towards mobile payment adoption is seen as a significant step towards boosting international tourism, not just during holiday seasons but throughout the year, underscoring the importance of convenient and secure payment methods in facilitating travel and consumption in a globalised economy.