- Alipay+ has extensive merchant acceptance in travel hotspots like South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and China, through its partnerships with standardised QR operators, from street vendors to attractions and shopping malls
- Alipay+ connects leading Asian e-wallets to top travel platforms like AirAsia MOVE and Booking.com, simplifying overall travel booking process
- Merchants also tap on Alipay+ solutions for in-app destination marketing and mini-program development to enhance travel experience; Geneva Tourism Bureau uses Alipay+ solution to launch in-app travel hub
As global tourism shifts from recovery to growth in 2025, international merchants are leveraging Alipay+, the cross-border mobile payment and digitalization solution from Ant International, to enhance transactions, in-app marketing, and digital services. This initiative aims to attract and accommodate travelers during Chinese New Year, the first major travel peak of the year.
Alipay+ connects over 35 international wallet and bank payment partners, linking 1.6 billion user accounts to more than 90 million merchants across 66 markets. Recently, it expanded its network by enabling payments for new partners such as Kaspi.kz (Kazakhstan) and BigPay (Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand), further strengthening its global reach.
To welcome the festive travel surge, Alipay+ is collaborating with global merchants to launch exclusive Chinese New Year promotions for its payment partner users. Renowned retailers—including Resorts World Sentosa, Marina Bay Sands, Central Retail, King Power, Pavilion KL, Lotte World, Olive Young, Daimaru, Printemps, Galeries Lafayette, and airport duty-free stores—are enhancing in-store and in-app engagement through special offers and upsized rewards across hundreds of thousands of locations.
- China: Travelers can enjoy seamless payments using Alipay and 13 international payment apps. Users of AlipayHK, Mpay, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, TrueMoney, and GCash can access exclusive promotional packs in over 100 Consumer Friendly Zones across top cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chengdu. These zones offer merchant spotlights, special discounts, bilingual support, user guides, and enhanced merchant training to ensure a more welcoming experience.
- South Korea: Alipay+ is accepted at over 2 million merchants, including all ZeroPay-enabled stores. Users can take advantage of tiered discounts at select merchants, while in Seoul, additional perks await at Lotte World and various stores in Myeongdong, Dongdaemun, and Seongsu. To enhance travel convenience, the NAMANE x Alipay+ Transit Pass Card was recently launched, allowing seamless nationwide use on buses and subways.
Japan: Alipay+ is accepted at over 3 million merchants, covering izakayas, wagashi shops, snack stores, guesthouses, leading retailers, health and beauty stores, and popular attractions like Tokyo SKYTREE, Tokyo Solamachi, and Tokyo Mizumachi.
- Southeast Asia: Alipay+ is widely integrated into local payment systems, including DuitNow in Malaysia and SGQR in Singapore. It also supports transportation payments, such as trains in Malaysia and Thailand and taxis in Singapore. In the Philippines, Alipay+ is now available at SM Supermalls, the country’s largest retail chain, and Hennan Group of Resorts, a premier hospitality brand with 10 resorts in Boracay and Bohol. Travelers can also enjoy exclusive promotions at top retailers like Pavilion KL in Malaysia, Central Retail in Thailand, and Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore, as well as nationwide vouchers redeemable at participating Alipay+ merchants.
- Europe: In major tourist destinations such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, Alipay+ users can enjoy discounts at a variety of retailers, restaurants, and attractions.
- Middle East: Travelers using Alipay+ can access exclusive discounts across the region, with upsized rewards available at duty-free stores in key airports, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Istanbul.
The global travel industry is set for significant expansion in 2025, with all regions expected to surpass pre-pandemic travel numbers from 2019. In key destinations across Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea, a joint report by Ant International and IDC projects that tourism spending will surge by over 330% by 2027. The growing integration of digital payment methods across both online and offline commerce is expected to further accelerate this growth.
“Tourism is becoming a key driver of local economies, creating opportunities for merchants across various sectors. However, businesses must adapt to evolving digital habits and traveler preferences,” said Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International. “Starting with mobile payments, Alipay+ empowers merchants with solutions to connect, engage, and retain customers who seek seamless digital experiences. We remain committed to introducing innovative solutions that help businesses thrive in the evolving tourism landscape.”
A Unified Payment and Digital Engagement Solution for Travelers
Alipay+ provides travelers with a seamless payment experience, allowing them to use their preferred home payment apps—including e-wallets, bank apps, and BNPL solutions—across their travel journey. From OTAs, airlines, and hotels to street vendors, restaurants, shopping malls, attractions, and transportation, Alipay+ enables travelers to “pay like a local.” With more than 90% of Alipay+ merchants being MSMEs, small businesses can now expand by accepting multiple international payment methods.
Alipay+ is widely accepted at offline merchants across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, covering diverse travel scenarios. Its partnerships with PayPay (Japan), ZeroPay (South Korea), DuitNow (Malaysia), SGQR (Singapore), and the Alipay merchant network in mainland China allow seamless transactions across these major destinations. In Europe, Alipay+ continues to expand its reach, with over 400,000 merchants supporting interoperable payments via Bluecode.
Through Antom, Ant International’s merchant payment and digitization services provider, Alipay+ is also enhancing online travel payments. Recent collaborations with AirAsia MOVE and Booking.com simplify payment processes for Asian travelers, ensuring a frictionless experience during Chinese New Year and beyond.
Engaging Travelers Beyond Payments
Beyond payments, Alipay+ helps merchants and tourism boards directly engage travelers through A+Rewards, an in-app destination marketing platform. This allows businesses to showcase the best food, shopping, and attractions while offering exclusive promotions to attract new customers. For example, in Singapore, a collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board enables travelers to purchase discounted voucher packs for taxis, convenience stores, shopping malls, and top attractions such as Sentosa and Mandai Wildlife Reserve.
To further streamline the travel experience, Alipay+ offers mini program solutions that allow users to book attractions, hail rides, and process tax refunds—all within their payment app—eliminating the need for additional downloads or lengthy physical transactions. Ahead of Chinese New Year, the Geneva Tourism Bureau is leveraging Alipay+’s mini program solution to launch an in-app hub on select e-wallets and banking apps, providing tourists with easy access to navigation, attraction bookings, and enhanced travel experiences in Switzerland.
