A new partnership between Alipay and Merlin Entertainments will make it easier for Chinese visitors to pay for tickets and souvenirs at popular London tourist sites.
Chinese tourists can use the Alipay lifestyle app for transactions across all of Merlin’s London attractions, including the Coca-Cola London Eye, London Eye River Cruise, Madame Tussauds London, SEA LIFE London and the London Dungeon. Visitors can also buy to e-coupons for the attractions when they book their flights to London, and earn a discount.
Merlin and Alipay say they want “to make Chinese tourists feel at home when visiting London, by enabling them to engage with brands in the same way they do while in China.”
Merlin will also introduce push notifications through the Alipay App to help Chinese tourists find attractions nearby, as well as personalized promotions. “Alipay users with higher membership level also receive preferential foreign exchange rates,” the companies say.
Tao Tao, Business Development Director, EMEA comments:
“Alipay is focused on enabling Chinese tourists to experience seamless travel – from the moment they book their flight, through to their transport, shopping, eating and entertainment during their trip. We’ve made great progress in the retail space, with leading brands across Europe embracing the opportunity to better cater to the lucrative Chinese tourism market. This partnership with Merlin marks a significant step into the attractions and entertainment space for Alipay.”
Dominique Sidley, global trade strategy director Merlin comments:
“By partnering with Alipay, we can help Chinese tourists to feel more at home when visiting London and our attractions in the city.”
Alipay is now accepted at bricks-and-mortar shops in 18 European countries, and its tax-refund service is supported at 76 European airports.
Finnair announced it was accepting payments via Alipay early last year and reported a doubling of inflight retail sales six months later.