China travel: Enhanced payment services fuel inbound tourism growth

During the 2025 Spring Festival, intangible cultural heritage-themed experiences became a core attraction for inbound tourists, with international visitors immersing themselves in the Chinese New Year's festive atmosphere.

According to data from the National Immigration Administration, a total of 14.37 million cross-border movements were recorded during this year's Spring Festival, marking a 6.3 percent increase compared to the same period of last year.

Since last year, "China Travel" has become a global buzzword. China has introduced a series of measures to meet the diverse payment needs of foreign visitors. QR code scanning, tap-to-pay, card-code integration and easy access to cash withdrawals have all become more accessible for international visitors.

At the launch ceremony for a payment service demonstration zone along Beijing's Central Axis on March 1, Sun Shuo, deputy mayor of Beijing, emphasized how the Chinese capital has taken the lead in rolling out innovative financial solutions.

Sun said Beijing has become the first city in the Chinese mainland to integrate foreign card payments into its metro system. He added that so far more than 116 countries' bank cards are accepted for seamless travel, while over 42,000 BEIJING PASS cards have been issued to foreign visitors.

In July 2024, the Beijing Central Axis, a 7.8-kilometer-long north-south line and home to 15 UNESCO-listed cultural heritage sites, was officially added to the World Heritage List.

Oliver Jenkyn, Visa's group president, Global Markets, said that following the launch of tap-to-ride payment services for Beijing's metro system, the Visa-UnionPay Zone along the Central Axis represents another milestone in enhancing inbound payment accessibility.

He said he believes such initiatives will support Beijing's transformation into an international consumption hub and the top destination for inbound tourism in China.

In September 2024, Visa, the world's leading digital payment brand, introduced foreign card tap-to-ride services in the Beijing Metro, allowing travelers from 100+ countries to seamlessly use their Visa cards for public transportation.

Recently, China's e-payment giant Alipay and American Express announced a new partnership, allowing eligible American Express cardholders worldwide to link their cards to Alipay for payments within China.

With this move, both Alipay and WeChat Pay — the country's two dominant mobile payment platforms, now provide linking services for foreign bank cards from seven major international banks, essentially achieving full coverage for global mainstream bank cards.

According to Alipay data, during the Asian Winter Games in the first week of February 2025, inbound visitors' spending via Alipay in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, surged nearly fivefold compared to the same period last year.

Enhanced payment services and higher levels of convenience have been driven by the country's comprehensive efforts. The People's Bank of China has said it will continue to refine a multi-tiered and diversified payment service system, so as to better meet the diversified payment needs of the elderly and foreign visitors.

(Cover via CFP)