The key to 1.5 million Chinese tourists' wallets? Scan-to-pay

Jessica Fenol, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/business/11/21/wechat-afp-112117.jpg"/><figcaption>A man walks past an advertisement at Hong Kong&#x27;s international airport for the WeChat social media platform owned by China&#x27;s Tencent company. AFP/File Photo</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA - Filipino businessmen are cashing in on the projected 1.5 million Chinese tourist arrivals this year by allowing them to shop with their smartphones, eliminating tedious trips to money changers.In China, over a billion people use Tencent&#x27;s WeChat Pay and Alibaba&#x27;s Alipay. Transplanting such &quot;native&quot; apps to the Philippines will encourage Chinese visitors to spend more, said Robinsons Business Center vice president Gina Salgado.&quot;The take up is good,&quot; Salgado told ABS-CBN News. WeChat Pay is available initially in Robinsons Place Manila, near Chinatown and outsourcing hubs where Chinese expatriates work.&quot;The value to the buyer is that they don&#x27;t need to look for a money changer to change renminbi to peso if they want to shop as their account is linked to WeChat Pay.&quot;Chinese tourists on average spend P6,000 a day while in the Philippines, she said. The tourism department estimates up to 1.5 million tourist arrivals from China, and an estimated revenue of P32 billion.WeChat Pay is available in the Philippines via Asia United Bank and the lender is planning on bringing in rival Alipay.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/02/19/18/chinese-tourists-driving-wechat-pay-alipay-growth-in-philippines">Chinese tourists driving WeChat Pay, Alipay growth in Philippines</a></li>	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/21/18/jack-ma-chinese-tech-help-ph-slay-cash-as-king-of-payments">Jack Ma, Chinese tech help PH slay cash as king of payments</a></li></ul>The Philippines is expecting an influx of Chinese tourists after Beijing lifted a travel advisory against the country in 2016. This after President Rodrigo Duterte sought to repair ties with China that were strained by a sea dispute.Duterte refused to flaunt Manila&#x27;s victory in a United Nations-backed arbitration court, which said Beijing&#x27;s claims over islands and outcrops in the South China Sea had no legal basis.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/20/16/duterte-heralds-springtime-in-ties-with-china">Duterte heralds &#x27;springtime&#x27; in ties with China</a></li></ul><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/15/17/chinas-new-silk-road-promises-trade-and-riches-with-xi-jinping-at-helm">China&#x27;s new Silk Road promises trade and riches, with Xi Jinping at helm</a></li></ul><div>SPENDING CENTER</div>Malls are among the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists in the Philippines, said Mynt CEO Antony Thomas.Mynt, a unit of Globe Telecom, has partnered with billionaire Jack Ma&#x27;s Ant Financial for the scan-to-pay platform GCash.&quot;The perfect opportunity is there are a million Chinese tourists, and that’s a very large number, and it’s not just the number that come in but also the spending power and their preferences,&quot; Thomas told ABS-CBN News.&quot;We do see those numbers increasing and that is for us a population that we can so easily serve,&quot; he said.Thomas said GCash would establish more access points to address demand from Chinese tourists.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/04/16/18/gcash-alipay-target-chinese-tourists-with-new-payment-scheme">GCash, Alipay target Chinese tourists with new payment scheme</a></li></ul>

Filipino businessmen are cashing in on the projected 1.5 million Chinese tourist arrivals this year by allowing them to shop with their smartphones, eliminating tedious trips to money changers.

Filipino businessmen are cashing in on the projected 1.5 million Chinese tourist arrivals this year by allowing them to shop with their smartphones, eliminating tedious trips to money changers.

The key to 1.5 million Chinese tourists' wallets? Scan-to-pay | ABS-CBN

Halalan 2025

Entertainment

News

Metro.Style

Sports

More

Traffic

Horoscope

Business

The key to 1.5 million Chinese tourists' wallets? Scan-to-pay

The key to 1.5 million Chinese tourists' wallets? Scan-to-pay

Jessica Fenol,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 22, 2018 06:54 AM PHT

|

Updated May 22, 2018 12:28 PM PHT

Read More:

WeChat Pay

Alipay

Chinese tourists

spending power

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.