TAT-Alipay pact aims to lure Chinese

TAT-Alipay pact aims to lure Chinese

Alipay and other QR code payments are accepted at a Hat Yai market.
Alipay and other QR code payments are accepted at a Hat Yai market.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has teamed up with mobile payment platform Alipay of Ant Financial Services Group, an affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding, to facilitate Alipay members while they visit Thailand.

Yuthasak Supasorn, the TAT governor, said the partnership would introduce two applications -- Zhima and Huabei -- to help Alipay members complete visa-on-arrival and immigration procedures, as well as value-added tax (VAT) refunds.

The Zhima system allows members to fill in information and submit documents and files through applications for visas on arrival. In theory, Alipay members will not have to wait in a long queue upon arrival in Thailand if they use the app.

The Huabei system offers revolving credit lines for Alipay users who need spare cash. The system lets Alipay members top up their credit limit while spending through Alipay in Thailand.

Mr Yuthasak said the TAT and Ant Financial expect to sign cooperation agreements on the two applications this month in Bangkok, with implementation planned for June.

In addition, the government is offering an e-tax VAT refund for Alipay members so they don't have to wait in a long queue at the airport before departure.

Mr Yuthasak said Alipay, Ant Financial Services and the TAT will jointly offer tourism privileges to members who travel to Thailand, such as discounts on shopping, spas and hotels in the second-tier and main tourism provinces. The campaigns are expected to be launched in September.

The TAT sees the cooperation attracting at least 10% of Alipay VIP members, totalling 123 million.

"The partnership is expected to attract more high-quality Chinese visitors to Thailand," Mr Yuthasak said. "The TAT predicts Chinese visitors to reach 11-12 million this year, up from 10.5 million in 2018."

He said the TAT also plans to team up with tour operators and hotel operators to launch tourism campaigns for 108 routes in second tier-tourism provinces, mainly targeted at Thais.

Tourism produced 3.3 trillion baht in revenue last year, of which 2.1 trillion was from foreign visitors and 1.2 trillion from Thai travellers.

Foreign arrivals as of April 22 tallied 13 million, up 1.5% from the same period last year.

The government expects foreign visitors to reach 41 million this year and generate 2.21 trillion baht.

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