Grab Thailand collaborates with Alipay and Kakao Pay to offer more payment choices for Chinese and South Korean visitors.
Grab noted that Thailand’s tourism scene continues to flourish, especially targeting Chinese visitors for the current year.
“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,” expressed Worachat Luxkanalode, the head of Grab in Thailand.
Additionally, Kakao Pay has been brought onboard to ease payments for Korean travelers in Thailand, he added.
These payment methods will be introduced in stages to wallet users, with full functionality expected by this year’s third quarter.
Mr. Worachat highlighted the encouraging resurgence of Thai tourism post-reopening, witnessing over 12 million visitors in the year’s initial half.
Specifically, Chinese tourist numbers surged, totaling more than 1.4 million in the past six months.
This rise resonates with Grab’s growing international customers, especially in transport services. For instance, rides taken by Chinese patrons saw a 38% spike in this year’s second quarter compared to the preceding one.
A recent Grab survey targeted 3,000 Chinese individuals in major urban hubs like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, aiming to understand their Southeast Asia travel intentions in the upcoming half-year.
Among them, Thailand (71%) emerged as the preferred Southeast Asian spot, followed by Singapore (66%) and Malaysia (53%).
A whopping 97% of Chinese visitors are keen on touring Thailand for leisure purposes. The subsequent primary reason for Thai visits is business-related (2%), and then catching up with friends and family (1%).
Most Chinese travelers (81%) like journeying in small clusters of 2-4. Larger groups were the choice for 10%, while 9% favored solo travels.
The top five destinations in Thailand are Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Koh Samui. On average, Chinese visitors plan a seven-day stay and allocate approximately 103,060 baht for their expenditures.
“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,” Mr. Worachat remarked.
Grab’s widespread services across numerous nations enhance its reputation amongst travelers, fostering positive feedback, he commented.
Over the last two quarters, Grab embarked on multiple strategies to captivate Chinese tourists, including conducting online marketing campaigns with significant associates.
