Alipay+, a cross-border mobile payment digital platform under Ant International, has announced a year-end campaign promoting sustainable cross-border travel with a series of incentives offered by global partners to users of five leading e-wallets in Asia, including Alipay (the Chinese mainland), AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), Touch ’n Go eWallet by TNG Digital (Malaysia), GCash (the Philippines), and TrueMoney (Thailand).
The campaign, which will last till 31 December, will first be launched for the destinations of Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Travelers will enjoy a wide array of special offers in collaboration with global industry leaders, including ComfortDelGro Taxi, Daimaru Matsuzakaya, Galaxy Macau, King Power, and Lotte Duty Free, as well as local small and micro-sized enterprises (SMEs), including Durian BB in Malaysia and IJOOZ in Singapore, creating a diverse and inclusive selection for travelers.
Ant International has committed to promote sustainable and responsible tourism across its Alipay+ markets, with an ESG program closely aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The campaign features special offers from Alipay+ and partners encouraging sustainable travel behavior, such as free overseas mobile data packages, in-app discounts across Alipay+’s extensive merchant network, and opportunities to win 100 percent rebates at partner stores. Travelers are also rewarded for using more digital payments instead of cash, choosing public transportations over cars, travelling with own toothbrushes instead of using disposable ones, as well as visiting more diverse local destinations to support communities’ economies and preserving local cultures.
Dr Cherry Huang, General Manager of Alipay+ Offline Merchant Services, Ant International said, “Our year-end campaign is not just about travel; it’s about making a positive impact. By collaborating with partners who share our commitment to sustainability, we are offering travelers the chance to explore the world responsibly.”
Digital payment increases international tourism revenue to local SMEs. In 2023, while Alipay expanded cooperation with major international card organizations to facilitate foreign cardholders visiting China, Alipay+ brought 10 Asian e-wallets and banking apps into the Chinese mainland to serve their traveling users, a landmark in international expansion of these leading payment methods. As a result, in 2023, over three million merchants in China, including mom-and-pop shops, closed their first international transactions on Alipay+.
Since its launch in 2020, Alipay+, a suite of cross-border payment and marketing solutions, has expanded to connect over 88 million merchants in 57 markets to 1.5 billion payment accounts of over 25 digital wallets, banking apps and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) apps.
In the second half of 2023, Alipay+ recorded an estimated 30 percent increase in total payment volume (TPV) compared to the first six months, and over 70 percent increase in daily average transactions (DAT). Excluding Alipay, the TPV and DAT of cross-border payments of the rest of Alipay+ partner wallets increased by some 280 percent and 230 percent respectively in the second half of 2023.
In terms of transaction volume in 2023, AlipayHK, Kakao Pay, Touch ’n Go eWallet and GCash are among the top 4 most popular Alipay+ partner wallets used by cross-border travelers, aside from Alipay itself. Touch ’n Go eWallet, mPay and TrueMoney are ranked top 3 based on month-on-month (MoM) increase of transaction volume in November 2023. As a result, merchants in the Chinese mainland, Macao SAR, Japan, South Korea and Singapore benefited the most from the surge in cross-border mobile payment.
Alan Ni, CEO of TNG Digital, operator of Touch ’n Go eWallet, said: “Tourism is an important contributor to the local economy, and TNG Digital is committed to making a positive difference with our product and services, especially to encourage sustainable travel. Touch ’n Go eWallet cross-border payments in the Chinese mainland have grown by more than 100 percent month-on-month in 2023. With that, we are hopeful that with our small gesture, we can create a path for others to follow.”
