Alipay Plus and PVS Power a New Latin America Tourism Payment Boom with QR Mobile Payments Across Chile and Argentina

Written By: Shreya Saha

Shreya Saha

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May 26, 2026 15:48 GMT+5:30

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A major travel technology shift has been introduced in Latin America as Alipay+ and PVS move cross-border mobile payments closer to everyday travel experiences in Chile and Argentina. Through this collaboration, QR code payments can now be made by global travellers using familiar home e-wallets and banking apps at participating PVS merchants. The rollout has been positioned as an important step for visitors from Asia and Europe, especially those seeking smoother spending options during multi-destination journeys across the region.

Alipay+, a global payment gateway under Ant International, has been connected with 150 million global merchants and 2 billion consumer accounts. Its network has been designed to link international travellers with local businesses through digital payment tools that are already known and trusted in their home markets. With PVS, a fintech company specialised in customised payment solutions in Latin America, this infrastructure is now being extended into a region where tourism, retail, hospitality and small business activity are becoming more digitally connected.

Chile and Argentina Lead the First Phase of the Rollout

The first phase of this travel technology rollout has been started in Chile and Argentina. These two markets have been selected as the initial entry points for the wider Latin America expansion. Through Alipay+ and PVS, payments can be completed by travellers through QR codes at PVS merchants, allowing purchases to be made without the usual stress linked to currency exchange, unfamiliar payment terminals or card acceptance concerns.

For international visitors, the value of this system can be seen clearly at the point of purchase. A traveller from Asia or Europe can arrive in Chile or Argentina and pay through a home e-wallet or banking app instead of searching for local cash or worrying about card conversion. The payment experience is made more familiar, while the transaction is received by the merchant in local currency. This creates convenience on both sides of the travel economy.

The rollout has also been designed for expansion beyond Chile and Argentina. Wider Latin American coverage is expected to be developed as the partnership matures and as more merchants are connected through PVS.

QR Payments Add Convenience for Longer and Multi-Destination Trips

The partnership has been shaped around changing travel behaviour. Asian travellers have increasingly been exploring longer itineraries and multiple destinations in Latin America. This trend has made payment simplicity more important. When a trip crosses several cities or countries, payment friction can become a barrier. Different currencies, local banking habits and unfamiliar merchant systems can make small purchases feel complicated.

Through Alipay+ partner payment apps, including 50 e-wallets and banking apps, and more than 10 national QR schemes, payments can now be enabled across participating PVS merchants. This creates a bridge between travellers and local businesses. It also helps visitors manage spending more clearly because transactions can be completed through apps already used in daily life.

For the travel sector, this matters because smoother payments can improve the full visitor journey. Hotels, restaurants, transport providers, retail shops, attractions and small merchants can benefit when spending is made easier. A traveller who feels confident about payments may be more likely to explore local neighbourhoods, visit independent businesses and spend across more parts of the destination.

Local Merchants Gain Access to International Consumer Spending

The benefits of the partnership have not been limited to travellers. Local businesses in Chile and Argentina are also being given access to a wider international customer base through one single integration. By accepting payments from leading wallets and banking apps across Asia and Europe, merchants can receive local currency with minimal friction.

This is especially important for small and medium-sized businesses. Many smaller merchants may not have the resources to build separate payment connections for multiple international wallet systems. Through the Alipay+ and PVS integration, the process is simplified. International payment acceptance can be added without forcing businesses to manage complex cross-border payment arrangements on their own.

The model also supports digital user engagement. As Alipay+ expands more AI-powered travel solutions across its ecosystem, merchants may be able to use digital marketing and traveller engagement tools more effectively. This could support offers, destination promotions and personalised travel services in the future.

Ant International Strengthens Its Travel Technology Ecosystem

Ant International has been described as a leading global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology provider. With an average of more than 20 million transactions daily, its services are already being used across financial institutions and merchants in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.

Its broader suite of solutions includes payment and account services, digitisation, embedded finance, treasury management and AI-powered financial innovation. This wider technology base is important because travel payments are no longer viewed as isolated transactions. They are being connected with data, marketing, security, settlement and digital identity systems.

In this context, the Alipay+ and PVS collaboration can be seen as part of a broader travel technology architecture. Payments are being used as a gateway to improve traveller convenience, merchant access, destination spending and digital tourism infrastructure.

NFC and Mastercard Expand the Cross-Border Payment Reach

The Latin America strategy has also been supported by Alipay+ NFC through a partnership with Mastercard. Starting with AlipayHK, GCash and Kakao Pay, users can make NFC payments at more than 150 million Mastercard-enabled merchants worldwide. This includes merchant coverage across Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and other Latin American markets.

This development adds another layer to the payment experience. While QR code payments are being expanded through PVS merchants, NFC payment access gives travellers another familiar contactless option. Together, these systems reflect a travel technology trend in which global mobility is being supported by multiple payment rails.

For travellers, choice becomes central. A QR code may be used in one shop, while NFC may be used in another. The main benefit is that the home wallet remains the centre of the payment journey.

Latin America Becomes a Bigger Focus for Digital Finance Partnerships

Ant International has also been expanding partnerships with global and local payment service providers, fintech companies and digital platforms across Latin America. These partnerships are being used to provide cross-border payment and credit services for small and medium-sized enterprises and individuals.

One example has been its collaboration with R2, a leading embedded lending infrastructure company headquartered in Mexico. Through this collaboration, SME financing is being expanded across the region. This indicates that the strategy is not limited to visitor payments. A wider financial technology ecosystem is being developed, where merchants may gain better access to payment tools, credit services and digital growth opportunities.

The May 2025 sponsorship of the Argentina National Football Team for the Asia region, excluding the Middle East, has also added a strong visibility layer to Ant International in the region. This connection supports brand recognition across travel, sport and consumer markets.

A Travel Technology Shift That Could Reshape Visitor Spending

The Alipay+ and PVS partnership has been introduced at a time when travel technology is becoming a core part of destination competitiveness. Easy payments can influence how travellers move, shop and spend. When a payment system feels familiar, a destination can feel more accessible.

For Chile and Argentina, the rollout could help improve the visitor experience for Asian and European travellers. For merchants, the same system could open access to high-value international demand. For the wider Latin America region, the partnership signals how tourism growth may increasingly depend on digital infrastructure as much as flights, hotels and attractions.

As the coverage is expanded to more markets, cross-border QR payments, NFC acceptance, AI-powered travel solutions and merchant digital tools are likely to become more deeply connected. In this new environment, travel payments are being transformed from a back-end transaction into a visible part of the journey. Latin America is therefore being positioned for a more seamless, technology-enabled visitor economy, with Alipay+ and PVS serving as important connectors between global travellers and local businesses.