Alipay records rise in outbound Chinese tourists spending

Friday, March 31, 2023

According to Alipay, the leading digital open platform that offers a popular mobile payment method and all kinds of life services to Chinese consumers, the average spending of Chinese tourists using Alipay overseas doubled in the first quarter of 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels in the same period in 2019.

According to the platform, outbound Chinese visitors did 20% more transactions in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same time in 2019.

According to the Chinese Tourism Academy, the number of inbound and outbound tourist visits would exceed 90 million times, which is 31.5% of the pre-pandemic level.

For Chinese mainland Alipay users visiting cross-border, the top five shopping destinations by transaction volume are Macao SAR, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Thailand, and France, while the top five tourism destinations by number of transactions are Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Nearly 90% of shops in Hong Kong have implemented Alipay to serve Chinese mainland tourists, and “transportation QR code” is the most common search phrase on Alipay for these tourists in the first quarter of 2023.

Foreign exchange rates and perks provided by local businesses were the most sought services by Chinese travellers on the Alipay platform during the quarter, followed by flight tickets and hotels. Alipay provides customers with discounted exchange rates based on their membership level, as well as digital vouchers with different retailer perks aimed towards Chinese consumers. Moreover, the search for mobile data has surged by 600% since 2022.

Tourism boards, brands and merchants in prominent tourist areas are preparing to welcome back Chinese visitors in a variety of ways. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has created a strategic partnership with prominent platforms such as Alipay. Chinese visitors using Alipay in Thailand, where there are over 550,000 partnered merchants, will be able to enjoy exceptional perks as a result of this relationship.

Nowadays, merchants and brands in over 70 countries and regions accept Alipay payments from Chinese travellers.

From Asia to Europe, merchants and brands are already preparing to welcome Chinese tourists. Popular shopping destinations such as Printemps in France, El Corte Inglés in Spain, and La Rinascente in Italy, as well as retail complexes La Roca Village and Las Rozas Village in Spain, and leading travel retail operators such as Dubai Duty Free, are hiring Chinese-speaking staff, launching dedicated benefits programmes and campaigns for Chinese consumers, and offering convenient mobile payments and tax refund services through the Alipay platform.

Korea Railway is one of the most recent companies to introduce a mini-program on Alipay that allows Chinese visitors to check train schedules for all major cities in Korea, book a ticket, and complete the purchase directly in the Alipay app, with a promotion running from April 10 to May 9.

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