As China gears up to host the Hangzhou Asian Games, Alipay, the
leading digital payment platform in China, has introduced updates to its
international app version to cater to overseas travelers visiting the
country.
The revamped international version includes English language options
and a user-friendly translation tool to streamline mobile payments for
international tourists in China, enhancing their local travel
experiences.
The app now integrates frequently used travel services, such as hotel
and air ticket bookings, car-hailing, public transport information, and
exchange rate checks. Additionally, users can access services related
to the Asian Games through the Smart Hangzhou mini-program.
Alipay has been actively collaborating with international card
networks since 2022 to improve payment services for international
travellers.
Tourists can link their international credit or debit cards from
providers like Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover, and Diners Club
International to the Alipay app. This allows them to make payments at
millions of Alipay partner merchants across China, spanning restaurants,
cafes, tourist attractions, shopping malls, street vendors, and public
transportation.
"We will continue to optimise our products and services to better
serve international visitors to China by enhancing their travel
experience with convenient mobile payment services," stated Yaoyao Jin,
Alipay's product lead responsible for its international version. "We
also encourage more merchants and service providers operating digitally
on the Alipay platform to enhance their services for international
travellers."