Central Retail partners with Ant Group to launch Alipay+ for Asian tourists in Thailand

For the convenience of Asian tourists from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and South Korea, Central Retail Corporation (CRC) has announced its partnership with Ant Group, introducing Alipay+ a comprehensive solution for international digital payments. This digital offering will enable travellers to use local digital wallets such as China’s Alipay, Hong Kong’s AlipayHK, Malaysia’s Touch ‘n Go eWallet and South Korea’s Kakao Pay for transactions.

Alipay+ eliminates the need to carry cash or exchange currency into baht for these tourists as transactions can easily be made through local wallets. These transactions can take place in more than 3,000 stores under CRC, including Central and Robinson Department Stores, Supersports, Tops, Power Buy, B2S, OfficeMate, Matsukiyo, Tops Vita, and Muji. This creates a shopping experience of greater choices and convenience across Thailand for these travellers.

Piyawan Leelasompop, in charge of corporate marketing at CRC, expressed the aim of this collaboration is to broaden CRC’s customer’s digital payment channels and provide holistic services to consumers favouring cashless payment options.

“We are targeting Asian tourists in Thailand, making their shopping more convenient at Central Retail stores through Alipay+, using their local mobile wallets.”

She added that users could also access various promotions and special privileges by Central Retail and international mobile wallet providers, aiming to improve the shopping experience further. Plans to extend payment services to tourists from other countries, including Asia and Europe, are being considered, reported Bangkok Post.

Vital statistics indicate that more Asian tourists are visiting Thailand. In the first half of this year, the country witnessed around 12.5 million foreign arrivals, with a major influx from Malaysia, China, Russia, South Korea, and India. It’s projected that about 25 million foreign visitors will visit Thailand by 2023.

Piyawan also illuminates how the inclusion of Alipay+ will turn the tide for the CRC ecosystem, bringing in world-class technologies and systems that heighten growth for their customers, brands and partners. This move, she believes will align with the CRC Retailligence strategy and fuels their ambition to become Asia’s Next-Gen Omni Retailer.

Speaking about the partnership, Sittipong Kittiprapapong, General Manager for Global Merchant Partnership in Thailand for Ant Group, stressed the significance of modern and convenient services, like Alipay+, in enabling foreign customers to make borderless digital payments.

“Alipay+ is not only a payment option but also a marketing solution that helps businesses offer customers more choices.”

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He affirmed their commitment to supporting businesses, connecting with over 1 billion consumers globally via a comprehensive operating system delivering ease and convenience.

There’s also an introductory offer on the cards for foreign travellers who use Alipay+ to shop at Central Retail stores between August 15 and September 30. They will receive a discount coupon under the campaign that include a 50 baht cash voucher for every 200 baht spent and a 250 baht cash voucher for every 2,000 baht spent.