Leading mobile payment providers across Asia announced an integration of Alipay+ cross-border digital payment solutions in South Korea in an effort to jointly promote cashless travel in the country.
Users of e-wallets including AlipayHK, GCash (the Philippines), Touch ‘n Go eWallet (Malaysia), and TrueMoney (Thailand) are able to pay at over 120,000 merchants using their local mobile payment apps when traveling in South Korea.
The collaboration marks the first time for leading mobile payment providers from Southeast Asia and Hong Kong to extend the availability of their services in South Korea through Alipay+. The initial phase of the merchant roll-out covers major tourist activities including payments for taxi, duty free shops, convenience stores, and food and beverage chains.
Introduced by Ant Group, Alipay+ is a suite of global cross-border 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 adaption.
The partnership between Alipay+ and Asia’s e-wallet leaders comes as international travel across Asia continues to rebound. In early September, South Korea lifted the requirement for pre-travel Covid-19 tests for inbound travelers, following a decision to remove all quarantine requirements for foreign arrivals regardless of vaccination status.
South Korea’s long-term popularity as a destination for travel, shopping, and k-pop makes it a top choice for international tourists as travel in Asia revitalizes. According to statistics by Korea Tourism Organization, over 800,000 foreign tourists 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 travelers and the number of travelers 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 agreements with Alipay+ to make shopping experience more convenient for international consumers.
Danny Chung, General Manager of Ant Group Korea, Australia and New Zealand
It is our pleasure to connect merchants in Korea with a variety of mobile payment methods, enabling Asian tourists to pay with convenience and simplicity in Korea using their preferred home e-wallets. As the theme of this year’s World Tourism Day is Rethinking Tourism, Alipay+ has been striving to achieve the same goal by supporting a cashless and smart travel experience. Through innovation and digitalization, we hope Alipay+ can play its role in the transformation of tourism towards a crucial pillar of development.
Martha Sazon, President and CEO Mynt, which operates GCash
With South Korea being one of the most popular destinations of Filipinos, we are delighted that our customers will be able to maximize their GCash app during their travels. This collaboration with Alipay+ provides our users the convenience they need to easily transact and manage their expenses with GCash. This innovative partnership aligns with our vision of financial inclusion and is a huge step towards building a cashless ecosystem, worldwide.
