CN Tower, Toronto.
Tourism Toronto partnered with OTT Pay Inc. to introduce the Chinese mobile payment service WeChat Pay and Alipay to Toronto businesses to boost travel and shopping consumption by Chinese travellers.
TORONTO – Two of Toronto's biggest attractions are now accepting two of China's biggest mobile payment options. WeChat Pay and Alipay are now being accepted at the CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium of Canada. The addition of WeChat Pay and Alipay mean both attractions can accept payment in Chinese RMB converted to Canadian dollars via their respective apps.
Chinese consumers are increasingly using mobile payments options as their preferred method of payment for goods and services. Together, WeChat Pay and Alipay have more than 1.3 billion active users. The apps launched in Canada last spring.
"2018 has been declared the Canada-China Year of Tourism. This is a time to focus on how easy it is for Chinese travellers to visit Toronto and experience the region in a way that's both exciting and convenient," said Johanne Belanger, President and CEO of Tourism Toronto. "That sense of welcome Toronto is known for extends to welcoming the payment options that many Chinese visitors are comfortable using."
Both the Government of Canada and the Government of China announced 2018 as the Year of Canada-China Tourism. The celebrations officially kick off with an opening ceremonies hosted by the China National Tourism Administration on March 21 in Toronto.
Recognizing the growing Chinese market, Tourism Toronto partnered with OTT Pay Inc. to introduce the Chinese mobile payment service WeChat Pay and Alipay to Toronto businesses to boost travel and shopping consumption by Chinese travellers.
China has been Toronto's largest overseas market since 2014 with 319,000 visitors coming to the region last year. Over the past five years, visits from China have increased more than 100 per cent. Visitors from China spent $304 million in 2017 – an increase of 147 per cent over five years.
A growing list of businesses are now accepting Chinese mobile payment option including Oxford Properties (Yorkdale, Scarborough Town Centre and Square One) and recently announced Cadillac Fairview properties (CF Toronto Eaton Centre and CF Sherway Gardens) – another step to make the Toronto region "China-ready."
Angelos is the news editor for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). His role includes to monitor the hundrends of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skim the most important according to our strategy.
He currently studies Communication, Media & Culture in Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens.
