Grab Thailand partners with Alipay, Kakao Pay to appeal to Chinese, Korean tourists

Grab Thailand is entering a strategic alliance with Alipay and Kakao Pay to expand the payment alternatives available to Chinese and South Korean tourists who visit the country, an announcement from the company relayed. As the Thai tourism sector remains buoyant, Grab has identified Chinese tourists as pivotal to its strategy for this year. Worachat Luxkanalode, Country Head of Grab Thailand, said…

“To better serve the Chinese market, Grab is joining forces with China’s most popular digital wallet and payment system, Alipay, which is used by more than 1 billion Chinese consumers. This collaboration aims to enable seamless payments via Alipay when using Grab services.”

In addition to Alipay, Grab Thailand is also reportedly integrating Kakao Pay, strengthening its payment services for South Korean tourists visiting Thailand. The two payment methodologies are gradually being incorporated for users and are estimated to be fully functional by the third quarter of the fiscal year.

The Thai tourism industry, Worachat says, has portrayed a robust comeback since the nation reopened. Over 12 million tourists have already been welcomed in the first half of this year. Importantly, the influx of Chinese tourists has seen a considerable upswing, exceeding 1.4 million visitors in the first six months.

This is reflected in Grab’s surge of foreign user demographics, especially relating to mobility services. The number of trips taken by Chinese users witnessed a growth of 38% in the second quarter of this year compared to the previous quarter.

Recent research commissioned by Grab Thailand surveyed 3000 Chinese residents from leading cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, to understand their travel plans to Southeast Asian countries in the immediate future. The survey revealed that Thailand (71%) is the favourite destination for Chinese tourists, followed by Singapore (66%) and Malaysia (53%).

The research indicates 97% of Chinese tourists express interest in visiting Thailand for sightseeing or leisure, followed by business-related travel (2%) and visits to friends and family (1%). The preferred travel pattern among Chinese tourists is mostly within small groups of 2 to 4 people (81%), 10% prefer groups larger than four, while solo travel is opted for by the remaining 9%.

The top five most visited places in Thailand by Chinese tourists include Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Koh Samui, with an average stay of seven days budgeted at approximately 103,060 baht, reported Bangkok Post. Worachat said…

“Chinese tourists are the key focus and one of the strategic target markets for Grab this year. Our platform is well-known among Chinese tourists because it offers a wide range of services, from ride-hailing to delivery services, with high safety standards, pricing transparency, and easy brand recognition.”

Service of Grab Thailand spans numerous countries, building trust with tourists and generating favourable word-of-mouth recommendations, Worachat added. Grab Thailand expanded several initiatives targeting Chinese tourists in the past two quarters, such as conducting online marketing campaigns in tandem with key partners.