Ant International’s cross-border mobile payment solution, Alipay+, has highlighted three key trends transforming global tourism in 2024. The findings, based on data from the first nine months of the year, suggest a significant shift in travellers’ payment preferences and spending habits, benefitting merchants globally.
Alipay+ allows travellers to use their familiar home payment apps abroad, enabling seamless cross-border transactions while providing localised experiences. The number of travellers using Alipay+ has tripled since the start of 2024, reflecting a strong recovery in the tourism sector as people resume travelling post-pandemic.
Familiar Payments Abroad
A growing number of tourists are opting for their home payment apps when making purchases abroad. Alipay+, which connects over 1.6 billion consumers across more than 30 mobile payment platforms, including popular Asian e-wallets such as GCash in the Philippines and Touch ‘n Go in Malaysia, has seen a dramatic rise in usage.
From January to September 2024, the number of transactions made by travellers using Alipay+ payment partner apps increased by over threefold, while the number of users tripled. This surge comes as Alipay+ expands its reach, now serving over 90 million merchants in 66 global markets.
The ease of using familiar mobile payment apps abroad is proving especially beneficial for small businesses, thanks to initiatives like national QR code schemes. In Malaysia, for instance, transactions via DuitNow QR codes increased by 142% per quarter throughout 2024. The growth has been particularly notable in smaller cities such as Kota Kinabalu and Penang, boosting local economies as travellers venture beyond traditional tourist hotspots.
Shift to Local Experiences
Post-pandemic travel trends show that tourists are spending more but choosing to focus on localised experiences such as dining and attractions, rather than shopping. Spending via Alipay+ on food and beverage merchants rose by 80%, while attractions saw a 50% increase. At the same time, there was a 120% rise in spending on transportation services such as taxis, ride-hailing, and trains.
Asian travellers, in particular, are driving this trend, with most transactions taking place in mainland China, Japan, Thailand, and South Korea. As regional tourism rebounds, these travellers are increasingly seeking authentic, immersive experiences in the destinations they visit.
Mobile Payments Driving Travel Behaviour
All-in-one mobile payment apps are reshaping the way people travel, offering more than just payment services. These apps, such as TrueMoney in Thailand, now integrate transport, dining, and other services into one platform, making them the preferred choice for many Asian tourists. TrueMoney, for example, has seen its transaction volume via Alipay+ increase tenfold since launch.
While Asia remains a leader in mobile payment adoption, the trend is spreading to other regions. European e-wallets, such as Tinaba in Italy, are gaining traction, while solutions like Bluecode are offering interoperability across the continent.
To support these changing travel habits, Alipay+ is also working with tourism boards and merchants to offer digital lifestyle services and marketing tools. The A+Rewards platform, for instance, allows businesses to engage tourists with destination vouchers and promotions before they even arrive. In 2024, the number of destination vouchers claimed increased by 53%, underscoring the growing demand for digital engagement in travel.