China Travel: Improved Payment Systems Boost Growth in Inbound Tourism
During the 2025 Spring Festival, experiences centered around intangible cultural heritage became a key draw for inbound tourists, as international visitors fully engaged in the festive spirit of the Chinese New Year.
TroibNews 
During the 2025 Spring Festival, experiences centered around intangible cultural heritage emerged as a primary draw for inbound tourists, with international guests fully engaging in the festive ambiance of the Chinese New Year.
Data from the National Immigration Administration reveals that there were 14.37 million cross-border movements recorded during this year's Spring Festival, reflecting a 6.3 percent increase from the previous year.
Since last year, "China Travel" has gained significant global attention. The country has implemented various measures to cater to the diverse payment preferences of international visitors. Features such as QR code scanning, tap-to-pay options, card-code integration, and convenient cash withdrawal processes have become more accessible to those traveling from abroad.
At the launch ceremony for a payment service demonstration zone along Beijing's Central Axis on March 1, Deputy Mayor of Beijing Sun Shuo highlighted the capital's leadership in the implementation of innovative financial solutions.
Sun noted that Beijing is the first city in mainland China to incorporate foreign card payments into its metro system. He mentioned that currently, bank cards from more than 116 countries are accepted for travel convenience, and over 42,000 BEIJING PASS cards have been issued to foreign tourists.
In July 2024, the Beijing Central Axis, a 7.8-kilometer-long north-south route housing 15 UNESCO-listed cultural heritage sites, was officially recognized as a World Heritage Site.
Oliver Jenkyn, Visa's group president for Global Markets, remarked that after the introduction of tap-to-ride payment services in Beijing's metro, the Visa-UnionPay Zone along the Central Axis marks another significant advancement in enhancing payment accessibility for inbound travelers.
He expressed confidence that such initiatives would aid in Beijing’s evolution into an international consumption hub and position it as the top destination for inbound tourism in China.
In September 2024, Visa, the leading global digital payment brand, launched foreign card tap-to-ride services within the Beijing Metro, enabling travelers from over 100 countries to use their Visa cards seamlessly for public transportation.
Recently, China's e-payment giant Alipay partnered with American Express to allow eligible American Express cardholders worldwide to link their cards for payments in China.
This collaboration enables both Alipay and WeChat Pay — China's two leading mobile payment platforms — to offer linking services for foreign bank cards from seven major international banks, achieving nearly complete coverage for mainstream global bank cards.
According to data from Alipay, during the Asian Winter Games in the first week of February 2025, spending by inbound visitors through Alipay in Harbin, located in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, skyrocketed nearly five times compared to the same period last year.
Improved payment services and greater convenience have resulted from comprehensive efforts nationwide. The People's Bank of China has stated its commitment to refining a multi-tiered and diversified payment service system to better accommodate the varied payment requirements of senior citizens and foreign tourists.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
Data from the National Immigration Administration reveals that there were 14.37 million cross-border movements recorded during this year's Spring Festival, reflecting a 6.3 percent increase from the previous year.
Since last year, "China Travel" has gained significant global attention. The country has implemented various measures to cater to the diverse payment preferences of international visitors. Features such as QR code scanning, tap-to-pay options, card-code integration, and convenient cash withdrawal processes have become more accessible to those traveling from abroad.
At the launch ceremony for a payment service demonstration zone along Beijing's Central Axis on March 1, Deputy Mayor of Beijing Sun Shuo highlighted the capital's leadership in the implementation of innovative financial solutions.
Sun noted that Beijing is the first city in mainland China to incorporate foreign card payments into its metro system. He mentioned that currently, bank cards from more than 116 countries are accepted for travel convenience, and over 42,000 BEIJING PASS cards have been issued to foreign tourists.
In July 2024, the Beijing Central Axis, a 7.8-kilometer-long north-south route housing 15 UNESCO-listed cultural heritage sites, was officially recognized as a World Heritage Site.
Oliver Jenkyn, Visa's group president for Global Markets, remarked that after the introduction of tap-to-ride payment services in Beijing's metro, the Visa-UnionPay Zone along the Central Axis marks another significant advancement in enhancing payment accessibility for inbound travelers.
He expressed confidence that such initiatives would aid in Beijing’s evolution into an international consumption hub and position it as the top destination for inbound tourism in China.
In September 2024, Visa, the leading global digital payment brand, launched foreign card tap-to-ride services within the Beijing Metro, enabling travelers from over 100 countries to use their Visa cards seamlessly for public transportation.
Recently, China's e-payment giant Alipay partnered with American Express to allow eligible American Express cardholders worldwide to link their cards for payments in China.
This collaboration enables both Alipay and WeChat Pay — China's two leading mobile payment platforms — to offer linking services for foreign bank cards from seven major international banks, achieving nearly complete coverage for mainstream global bank cards.
According to data from Alipay, during the Asian Winter Games in the first week of February 2025, spending by inbound visitors through Alipay in Harbin, located in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, skyrocketed nearly five times compared to the same period last year.
Improved payment services and greater convenience have resulted from comprehensive efforts nationwide. The People's Bank of China has stated its commitment to refining a multi-tiered and diversified payment service system to better accommodate the varied payment requirements of senior citizens and foreign tourists.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
