Prominent mobile payment providers across Asia announced an integration of Alipay+ cross-border payment solutions in South Korea aiming to mutually promote cashless travel in the country.
The move will allow users of e-wallets that use Alipay+ including GCash (the Philippines), Touch ‘n Go eWallet (Malaysia), TrueMoney (Thailand), and AlipayHK to pay at over 120,000 merchants using their local mobile payment apps when travelling in South Korea.
The partnership indicates the first time for leading mobile payment providers from Hong Kong and Southeast Asia to expand the readiness of their services in South Korea through the company. The preliminary phase of the merchant launch encompasses most important tourist events comprising payments for taxis, convenience stores, duty free shops, and food and beverage groups.
Created by Ant Group, Alipay+ is a suite of global cross-border digital payments and marketing solution designed to connect merchants with mobile payment app users.
Danny Chung, General Manager of Ant Group Korea, Australia and New Zealand, stated that the team is pleased to connect merchants in Korea with a variety of mobile payment systems, facilitating Asian travellers to pay with convenience and ease in Korea applying their ideal home e-wallets.
As the theme of this year’s World Tourism Day is Rethinking Tourism, Alipay+ has been endeavouring to accomplish the similar objective by supporting a cashless and wise travel experience. By way of modernization and digitalization, the team expects Alipay+ would be able to engage in the transformation of tourism towards a vital pillar of expansion.
The collaboration between the company and Asia’s e-wallet leaders turn up as international travel throughout Asia continues to recover. In early September, South Korea raised the requisite for pre-travel Covid-19 tests for inbound travellers, subsequently a decision to eliminate all quarantine conditions for foreign incursions irrespective of vaccination status.
With South Korea being one of the extremely popular destinations of Filipinos, GCash is pleased that their consumers will be capable to take advantage of their GCash app during their travels. This partnership with Alipay+ delivers their users the convenience they require to effortlessly transact and accomplish their expenses with GCash, said Martha Sazon, President and CEO Mynt, which operates GCash. This pioneering collaboration line up with their vision of financial inclusion and is a massive move towards building a cashless environment, globally.
Venetia Lee, General Manager, AlipayHK and Alipay Greater China International Business, Ant Group, said that the company is pleased to announce the connection to South Korea. AlipayHK intends to offer their users with one-stop lifestyle services, including local and cross-border payments for those who love traveling around. AlipayHK has already been accepted by most merchants in Japan, Chinese mainland and Macao. All through Alipay+, AlipayHK anticipate their service to spread out to further destinations, facilitating AlipayHK users to travel the world over with one app utilizing their own e-wallet.
Mr. Koravut Pavitpok, Head of Commercial of TrueMoney Co., Ltd. Said that South Korea has been one of the leading tourist destinations amongst the people of Thailand for its delightful culture, captivating history, and amazing food. Since the borders have opened, Thai tourists have become the second highest visitors to South Korea. As international travel is on the rise, their collaboration with the company has permitted TrueMoney Wallet to increase their service territory and provide more convenient and superior cross-border cashless payment to their users.
According to statistics by Korea Tourism Organization, more than 800,000 foreign travellers visited South Korea during the first half of this year, representing an increase of 92.8% compared to the same period last year. Tourists from ASEAN countries, including the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, topped the inbound arrivals to South Korea, accounting for 30.3% of the total.
As the usage of mobile payments by international travellers and also the number of travellers from Southeast Asia continues to rise, the retail industry in Korea is adopting various mobile payment methods particularly through partnership with Alipay+. For instance, Lotte Duty Free and convenient store brand GS25 have signed partnership contracts with the company to make shopping experience more convenient for international customers.
About Alipay+
Alipay+ presents unified global mobile payment and marketing solutions that connect merchants with multiple e-wallets and payment methods from different countries and regions by collaborating with global partners. Consumers can easily use their preferred local payment methods while transacting effortlessly in a distinct market and be able to benefit from marketing offers by the merchants through the company. Created by Ant Group, the proprietor and operator of Alipay, one of the world’s leading digital open platforms.