At the 2024 Inclusion Conference on the Bund held from Sept 5 to 7 in East China's Shanghai, fin-tech giant Ant Group announced major moves in making payments easier for international visitors.

In the past six months, Shanghai has seen a sevenfold increase in tourist spending and a fivefold jump in active Alipay users, thanks to Ant Group's services such as "foreign card linkage" and "foreign wallet usage".

Cyril Han, also known as Han Xinyi, chief financial officer of Ant Group, noted that digital payments are now a global language.

With tourist-friendly shopping areas and attractions adopting seamless mobile payment options, Shanghai is positioning itself as a top destination for international visitors, Han added.

Among the conference's highlights was the announcement of the 2024 Top 10 International Consumer Friendly Zones, featuring popular spots like Nanjing Road and Yuyuan Garden.

Yuyuan Garden saw international customer transactions increase ninefold in the six months, with total spending up sixfold, while the Bund Finance Center experienced even greater growth. Visitors from countries like Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, France, and Mongolia are said to be rapidly embracing mobile payments.

Liu Yufeng, deputy secretary-general of the World Tourism Alliance, praised the initiatives, noting that better digital payment options are key to boosting high-quality inbound tourism.

He added that ongoing collaboration and innovation will be essential in helping China's tourism industry thrive and contributing to sustainable growth in global travel.