Amid global cross-border tourism recovery, the average spending of Chinese tourists using Alipay overseas doubled in the first quarter of 2023 compared with pre-pandemic levels in the same period in 2019, according to Alipay, the leading digital open platform that offers a popular mobile payment method and all kinds of life services to Chinese consumers.
Outbound Chinese tourists on average made more transactions in the first quarter of 2023, with an increase of 20% compared with the same period in 2019, according to the platform.
According to the forecast of China Tourism Academy, the number of inbound and outbound tourist visits is expected to exceed 90 million times, equivalent to 31.5% of the pre-pandemic level.
The top 5 shopping destinations by transaction volume for Chinese mainland Alipay users traveling cross-border are Macao SAR, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Thailand and France, while the top 5 tourist destinations by number of transactions are Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia.
Over 90% of merchants in Hong Kong, from street-side food stands to major retailers, have adopted Alipay to serve Chinese mainland tourists, and “transportation QR code” is the most popular search term on Alipay for these tourists in the first quarter of 2023.
Currently, merchants and brands in over 70 countries and regions support Chinese tourists to pay via Alipay.
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