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International travel transactions through Alipay increased 77% year over year, with total spending increasing 10%. Top destinations are Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Japan, Macau Special Administrative Region, South Korea, United States, and Thailand.
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In inbound tourism, Alipay spending by overseas travelers in mainland China surged 700% year-on-year.
Hangzhou, China, May 5, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Alipay data shows that outbound and inbound tourism spending in China will increase significantly during the 2024 Labor Day holiday.
outbound tourism
Alipay users' transactions in overseas markets during the first two days of the holiday recorded a significant 77% increase compared to the same period in 2023, with total spending increasing 10% year-on-year.
In the run-up to the 2024 Labor Day holiday, Alipay, an Alipay+ partner wallet, collaborated with global merchants to launch a major campaign aimed at attracting Chinese tourists. With his Alipay+, a suite of cross-border digital payments and digitization technology solutions that connects global brands with mobile-savvy consumers around the world, Chinese travelers can use his more than 8 million merchants. You can seamlessly pay for a wide range of services including shopping, dining, and entertainment. In over 70 countries and regions. All this convenience is accessed through the familiar interface of the trusted Alipay app, eliminating the need to carry cash or exchange money.
Short-haul destinations across Asia continue to attract significant interest. In Southeast Asia, Alipay users' spending increased by 52% year over year. Notably, Thailand emerged as the top destination in the region for Alipay spending, while Malaysia showed the most significant increase of 171% year-on-year. In addition to these popular short trips, Chinese travelers are increasingly taking advantage of five-day vacations to go further afield. Long-haul destinations are gaining traction, with North America, Europe, and Australia becoming preferred choices among Alipay users for more exploratory and longer-term travel.
Specifically, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Macau SAR, South Korea, the United States, and Thailand stand out as the top destinations for Chinese travelers and attract the most Alipay users. In April, Alipay+ enabled users of 14 major overseas mobile wallets and banking apps from 9 countries and regions to seamlessly pay in Hong Kong from their home app, improving their travel experience and improving their travel experience. This contributed to a rapid increase in the number of tourists in the area. Japan has emerged as an attractive and budget-friendly destination for Chinese tourists, mainly due to the weaker yen. This economic advantage is reflected in the huge surge in his Alipay spending in the country, which recorded a staggering 164% year-on-year growth.
Traveling with a reduced carbon footprint has become the new fashion. Alipay is adding more ways for users to travel internationally, including ride-hailing and public transportation. In Hong Kong, the number of public transport transactions increased by 63% year-on-year.
Inbound tourism
Over the Labor Day holiday, international travelers spent at merchants in mainland China using international card-enabled Alipay accounts, an increase of 700% year-on-year. Number of visitors from 15 countries who made payments using Alipay1 Since mid-2023, it has benefited from China's renewal of its visa-free policy, increasing more than four times compared to the previous year.
In April, Huangshan Tourism Group partnered with Alipay to launch an “international tourist-friendly scenic spot” ahead of the Labor Day holiday. Through this initiative, travelers from around the world visiting Huangshan can enjoy convenient payment options such as card, mobile payment, and cash, as well as claim a customized digital red packet for shopping discounts and receive free shipping in 16 languages. You'll be able to check out travel guides and tips.
Overseas consumers can not only use Alipay, but also pay with their home e-wallets across China with Alipay+. Since September 2023, Alipay+ solution supports 12 major e-wallets and payment apps in Asia, including AlipayHK (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China), Kaspi.kz (Kazakhstan), MPay (Macau Special Administrative Region, China), Touch' n Go eWallet (Malaysia), Hipay (Mongolia), NayaPay (Pakistan), Changi Pay (Singapore), OCBC Digital (Singapore), Kakao Pay (South Korea), Naver Pay (South Korea), Toss Pay (South Korea), TrueMoney (Thailand) ).
About Alipay
In the digital era, Alipay has evolved from a trusted payment tool to an open platform that connects consumers with businesses, institutions, service providers, and other partners. Alipay enables partners across industries to offer secure and convenient payment options. Partners will also be able to communicate with Chinese customers and offer a variety of digital services through Alipay mini programs, lifestyle accounts, and other tools. The Alipay platform has connected over 80 million businesses with his over 1 billion consumers.
About Alipay+
Alipay+ is a suite of cross-border mobile payment and digitization technology solutions that helps connect merchants and consumers around the world. Consumers can enjoy seamless payments and a wide range of transaction options using their preferred payment methods while traveling abroad. Small and medium-sized businesses can use Alipay+ digital tools to increase efficiency and achieve omnichannel growth.
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1 The 15 countries include France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Thailand, Singapore and Brunei.
View source version on businesswire.com. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240505795104/ja/
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