New York, August 15, 2017 – Alipay, one of the world’s leading digital payment platforms, and Yelp Inc., the company that connects consumers with great local businesses, have partnered to bring Yelp’s local content to millions of Chinese travelers directly within Alipay’s mobile lifestyle app. With today’s beta launch, any of Alipay’s more than 520 million users visiting New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco can now easily discover, plan, make reservations and share authentic experiences at any local business using Yelp’s rich content. Additional cities and countries will be added in 2017.
“Our partnership with Yelp expedites our goal towards a digital lifestyle and represents a substantial opportunity for U.S. businesses to connect with the growing audience of Chinese travelers that would otherwise be difficult to reach,” said Mr. Souheil Badran, President, Alipay, North America. “Alipay is already the trusted lifestyle app for Chinese consumers at home, and our growing suite of location-based content and services will continue to elevate their experiences when they travel abroad.”
Through the Alipay app’s Discover tab, Chinese travelers in the U.S. can seamlessly access Yelp content to find local restaurants, bars and shops, get directions, read review snippets in English, make reservations as well as pay in Chinese yuan at retailers that accept Alipay.
These mobile payment-savvy Chinese consumers are visiting the U.S. in droves and this year the number of Chinese travelers in North America is expected to grow to four million. They bring with them not only enthusiasm for shopping for items they otherwise wouldn’t be able to find in China, but different payment expectations birthed through technology and built to meet cultural norms that are vastly different than those in the U.S.
“Yelp content is more important than ever in delivering a locally-aware mobile experience for travelers and locals alike,” said Chad Richard, SVP Corporate and Business Development at Yelp. “By collaborating with Alipay, we can help Chinese consumers find the perfect place to eat, shop, drink, relax and play when they’re visiting the United States.”
About Alipay
Operated by Ant Financial Services Group, Alipay is the world’s leading mobile and online payment platform. Launched in 2004, Alipay currently has over 520 million active users and over 450 financial institution partners. Alipay has evolved from a digital wallet to a lifestyle enabler. Users can hail a taxi, book a hotel, buy movie tickets, pay utility bills, make appointments with doctors, or purchase wealth management products directly from within the app. In addition to online payments, Alipay is expanding to in-store offline payments both inside and outside of China. Over 10 million brick-and-mortar merchants now accept Alipay across China. Tax reimbursement via Alipay is supported in 24 countries and regions. Alipay works with over 250 overseas financial institutions and payment solution providers to enable cross-border payments for Chinese travelling overseas and overseas customers who purchase products from Chinese e-commerce sites. Alipay currently supports 19 currencies. For more information about Alipay, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @antfinancial and @alipay.
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