Digital Payments Enhance Travel Experience

A report from chinadaily.com.cn on Feb. 19th, 2025:

Around 90 percent of millennials, Gen Z foreign travelers adopt mobile settlements, study finds

As China continues to refine its digital payment service systems, foreign visitors are experiencing unprecedented ease in making cashless transactions across the country.

From seamless QR code transactions to cross-border digital wallet integration, the country’s latest innovations are transforming travel.

As a result of the nation’s intensified efforts to improve the digital payment experience for international travelers, visitors can now make payments through two options: one allows them to link their foreign bank cards directly to domestic payment platforms such as Alipay and WeChat Pay, while the other enables them to make payments using their own foreign digital wallets without downloading additional Chinese apps.

A recent study by BFSU on the mobile payment experience of foreign visitors in China found that around 90 percent of millennials and Generation Z foreign travelers adopted mobile payment methods, showing their widespread global popularity. Additionally, about 78 percent of all surveyed visitors reported using mobile payments while in China, with 74.36 percent were already aware of these options before their trips.

Driven by the evolving travel landscape, an enhanced visa-free policy and the first Chinese New Year since securing its latest UNESCO heritage recognition, China’s inbound tourism sector has recently surged like a rising tide, drawing waves of foreign visitors eager to experience the country’s rich culture and modern conveniences.

Unlike earlier, visitors can now enjoy digital payment services in more scenarios such as ride-hailing, hotel bookings, attraction tickets, public transport access and tax refunds.

The impact of the improved payment system is reflected in rising transaction volumes. According to data from the People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank, during the seven-day Spring Festival holiday (Jan 28 — Feb 3), foreign visitor payment transactions processed by China UnionPay and NetsUnion grew by 127.3 percent in volume and 93.5 percent in value year-on-year, respectively.

Taking a closer look at digital payment platforms, data from fintech major Ant Group also showed that during the first five days of the holiday, foreign tourists’ spending via Alipay more than doubled compared to the previous year, while the number of Chinese merchants catering to foreign customers through the platform also doubled. Meanwhile, WeChat Pay reported a 134 percent leap in cross-border transactions during the holiday period as well.