SZ airport offers worry-free payment services for intl. visitors

Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport has achieved full coverage of mainstream payment methods including cash, Alipay, WeChat Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and digital yuan, providing a worry-free payment environment and experience for international visitors.

It is the latest move by the airport to increase the convenience of international payment, the airport said yesterday.

With the implementation of a 24-hour exemption of border inspection formalities for direct transit passengers and addition of more international routes, the number of foreign visitors coming to Shenzhen has continued to increase.

A traveler is attracted by a sign board for Weixin Pay, which is known as WeChat Pay in English, at the Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport. Developed by Tencent, WeChat Pay is one of the two dominant mobile payment services in China, the other being Alipay, which is run by Ant Group, an affiliate company of Alibaba. Courtesy of the airport

During the Spring Festival period alone, the airport handled over 1,000 international flights and saw nearly 150,000 passengers entering and leaving the country.

Many foreigners who travel to China are accustomed to using bank cards and cash for payments. In China, where mobile payments are prevalent, they may encounter payment problems if foreign card payments are limited.

To adapt to the payment habits and service needs of foreign visitors, the airport promoted the installation of POS machines for international credit cards in the airport business circle.

Currently, over 90% of businesses and hotels in the airport business circle accept international credit cards like Visa and Mastercard.

The Alipay and WeChat Pay apps have realized 100% coverage, and mobile payments linked to international credit cards can be directly used for scan-and-pay purchases.

For cash withdrawals, the airport added more currency exchange outlets.

Three cash dispensers installed January in the Hall of International Arrivals support foreign cards and allow cash users to exchange their currencies into digital yuan that can be used at business stalls in the airport business circle.

Currently, all five hotels in the airport business circle and 80% of business in the airport’s terminals accept digital yuan payments.

The reception desk for international arrivals is stocked with brochures about international payments and provides inquiry services for digital yuan tie-in services and international payments.