Alipay+ has announced it signed a business agreement with the Korea Easy Payment Foundation (KEPF) and Jeju Tourism Organization (JTO). According to the official announcement, the partnership aims to enhance the travel experience for international visitors exploring the island destination of Jeju by providing convenient digital payment services and exclusive offers.

Through the agreement, users of 11 Alipay+ partner ewallets including Alipay from the Chinese mainland, AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), MPay (Macao SAR, China), TrueMoney (Thailand), Touch’n Go eWallet (Malaysia), OCBC Digital (Singapore), Changi Pay (Singapore), and Hipay (Mongolia), HelloMoney and GCash (The Philippines) and Tinaba (Italy) will able to enjoy exclusive offers at ZeroPay merchants across Jeju Island by scanning the ZeroPay QR code at the merchant’s counter with their home ewallet apps. Reshaping the tourism sector The statement mentioned that 377,734 foreign tourists visited Jeju between January and March of 2024, up 532.5 percent from 58,609 during the same period in 2023. It is also noted that the first time since February 2020 that the number of foreign tourists to Jeju has exceeded 100,000 per month for three consecutive months.

Officials from Alipay+ commented that as the number of overseas travelers visiting Jeju is on the rise, this partnership seeks to contribute to a recovery in inbound tourism to Jeju and revitalise local businesses. Moreover, this agreement is geared towards boosting the spending of foreign tourists by promoting QR code-based transactions, thereby fostering economic growth in the local community. Officials from Korea Easy Payment Foundation, said that the agency aims to further expand its collaboration with domestic payment companies to develop a seamless payment infrastructure, integrating both domestic and international services.

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