flood – (work wire) – Leading mobile payment service providers across Asia today announced the integration of Alipay + cross-border digital payment solutions in South Korea in a bid to jointly promote cashless travel in the country.
E-wallet users including AlipayHK, GCash (Philippines), Touch ‘n Go eWallet (Malaysia) and TrueMoney (Thailand), can pay at more than 120,000 merchants using local mobile payment apps when traveling in South Korea.
This collaboration marks the first time for leading mobile payment service providers from Southeast Asia and Hong Kong to expand the availability of their services in South Korea through Alipay+. The first phase of the merchant offering covers major tourism activities including taxi payments, duty free, convenience stores and food and beverage chains.
Alipay+ is introduced by Ant Group, a suite of global digital payments and marketing solutions designed to enable businesses to process a wide range of mobile payment methods and better serve regional and global consumers through simple technical adaptation.
Commenting on the collaboration, Danny Chung, General Manager of Ant Group Korea, Australia and New Zealand, said: “It is our pleasure to connect merchants in Korea with a variety of mobile payment methods, allowing Asian tourists to pay easily and simply in Korea using its preferred e-wallets in the home “.
As the theme for this year’s World Tourism Day is to rethink tourism, Alipay+ strives to achieve the same goal by supporting a smart and cashless travel experience. Through innovation and digitization, we hope that Alipay+ can play its part in transforming tourism towards a fundamental pillar of development.”
The partnership between Alipay+ and e-wallet leaders in Asia comes as international travel across Asia continues to thrive. In early September, South Korea lifted the requirement to conduct pre-travel Covid-19 tests for incoming travelers, following a decision to scrap all quarantine requirements for foreign arrivals regardless of vaccination status.
“With South Korea being one of the most popular destinations for Filipinos, we are pleased that our customers can maximize their GCash application during their travels. This collaboration with Alipay+ provides our users with the convenience they need to easily handle and manage their expenses with GCash,” said Martha Sazon, President and CEO of Mynt, which operates GCash, “This innovative partnership aligns with our vision of financial inclusion and is a huge step toward building a cashless ecosystem, around the world.”
Venetia Lee, General Manager, AlipayHK and Alipay Greater China International Business, Ant Group, said, “It is with great pleasure to announce the connection to South Korea, a popular tourist destination for Hong Kong residents. AlipayHK aims to provide our users with a – stop lifestyle services, Including not only local payments but also cross-border payments for those who like to travel.With AlipayHK already accepted by the vast majority of merchants in Japan, Mainland China and Macau through Alipay+, we expect our service to expand to more destinations, allowing users of AlipayHK Travel anywhere with a single app using their e-wallet.”
“South Korea has always been one of the top tourist destinations among Thais for its fascinating history, wonderful culture and great food. Before the pandemic, more than half a million Thais traveled to the country every year. Since the reopening of the borders, Thai tourists have become the second largest number of visitors to South Korea. As international travel is on the rise again, our partnership with Alipay + has allowed TrueMoney Wallet to expand our services and provide more convenient and secure cross-border cashless payments to our users.”
South Korea’s long-term popularity as a travel, shopping, and K-pop destination makes it a top choice for international tourists with the revitalization of travel in Asia. According to the statistics of the Korea Tourism Organization, more than 800,000 foreign tourists visited South Korea during the first half of this year, which is an increase of 92.8% compared to the same period last year. Tourists from ASEAN countries including the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia led the number of arrivals to South Korea, accounting for 30.3% of the total.
With the continued rise in the use of mobile payments by international travelers and the number of travelers from Southeast Asia, the retail industry in Korea is adopting various methods of mobile payment especially through the partnership with Alipay+. For example, Lotte Duty Free and convenience store brand GS25 have signed partnership agreements with Alipay+ to make the shopping experience more convenient for international consumers.
About Alipay +
Alipay+ offers unified global payment and mobile 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 favorite local payment methods while making transactions smoothly in different market and enjoy marketing offers by merchants through Alipay+. Alipay+ is developed by Ant Group, the owner and operator of Alipay, one of the world’s leading open digital platforms.