Chinese Tourism in Australia: Alipay system helps travelers get past language barrier

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Anyone who has travelled to a country that speaks a different language knows how tough it can be to navigate the basics, such as going to a restaurant. In Australia, Alipay has launched a new system to help make the experience of dining out easier for Chinese tourists. Greg Navarro explains.

Amit Hingorani knows the value of overseas visitors. They make up about 40% of the Bluefish Restaurant's business - most come from China. Hingorani says in the restaurant's early days - language could be a barrier, especially when it came to ordering from the menu.

AMIT HINGORANI, RESTAURANT MANAGERBLUEFISH RESTAURANT "We didn't have the technology to show people what it is and how it is, and they used to talk in a different language and we could only converse in English."

The number of Chinese tourists visiting Australia is on the rise - expected to hit 3.3 million by the end of 2020, and projected to spend about $13 billion AUD. Alipay country manages for Australia and New Zealand George Lawson says the company saw an opportunity.

GEORGE LAWSON COUNTRY MANAGER, ALIPAY ANZ "We definitely have a savvy consumer coming into market there's no doubt about that - they are mobile, they are digital, they actually use Alipay all of the time. What we are trying to do is enable restaurants that actually make sense for the Chinese consumer who are able to interact more effectively."

The solution is a system created by Alipay and Australian food and travel platform Harkhark that removes the challenge for Chinese visitors here when trying to decipher a menu in English. Diners can use the Alipay app to scan a QR code that gives them a translated version of the menu. They can decide what to order and place the order which then goes directly to the kitchen.

GREG NAVARRO SYDNEY "One of the advantages so far with this system is that it increases efficiency, not only for the consumer who can now order more easily, but also for businesses."

GEORGE LAWSON COUNTRY MANAGER, ALIPAY ANZ "You don't actually have someone standing there taking an order and waiting for people to decide what they want - all of that is done by the consumer rather than to have a server doing the ordering piece, they can focus on getting the food to the customer and essentially cleaning the tables."

AMIT HINGORANI, RESTAURANT MANAGER BLUEFISH RESTAURANT "It's just quick, they understand the photos, the menu that has been translated for them - just very simple."

And Hingorani says, it's proving to be another useful tool to help improve the visitor experience for a valuable segment of the restaurant's business. Greg Navarro, CGTN, Sydney.