Hainan improves payment convenience level, foreigners enjoy "smooth payment"
China News Service, Haikou, June 16th, Title: Hainan improves the level of payment convenience, foreigners enjoy "silky payment"
LIM, a Malaysian tourist who was traveling in Haikou, conveniently paid for the taxi with an overseas bank card. He did not bind his bank card, download the app, or fill in his personal information, but simply swiped his bank card on the driver's phone.
"In the past, I had to prepare enough cash to feel at ease, but now payment is very convenient." LIM said that he can pay by card more confidently in Hainan without worrying about the hassle of unsuccessful payment.
Since the beginning of this year, China has actively optimized inbound tourism payment services. Hainan, which is building an international tourism consumption center, has created a "pioneering demonstration zone" for payment facilitation to enrich convenient payment scenarios for foreigners.
LIM's convenient payment experience for taxis benefits from the recently piloted "Hainan Safe Pay" platform. Taxi drivers only need to download and install the "Hainan Safe Pay" APP on their mobile phones with NFC function to replace traditional POS machines for card payment. Foreigners can directly use overseas bank cards such as VISA and MasterCard to pay.
In addition to the "Hainan Pay with Safe Payment" platform, Hainan is conducting payment pilot projects in Haikou and Sanya with the idea of "large-amount card swiping, small-amount code scanning, and cash guarantee" to meet the needs of foreign personnel.
Haikou Qilou Old Street is a demonstration area for international payment services in Hainan. This year, hundreds of merchants have been equipped with smart POS machines that can accept foreign card payments. The reporter learned that the merchants support three payment methods: foreign card payment, cash payment and mobile payment.
On June 13, Fu Chuangui, the manager of Sun River Xinglong Coffee Haikou Qilou Store, demonstrated a smart POS machine that can accept foreign card swipes. Photo by China News Service reporter Wang Ziqian
Zeeshan Qasim Khan from Pakistan invited his friends to have coffee at Qilou Old Street. When checking out, he learned that he could pay with foreign bank cards. "The entire payment process only takes a dozen seconds, and the exchange rate is directly converted for the payment amount."
Fu Chuangui, manager of the Qilou store of Sun River Xinglong Coffee in Haikou, said that many foreign tourists visit Qilou Old Street every day. Now, foreign bank cards can be used to withdraw cash at ATMs at nearby bank branches. In the store, foreign bank cards can be swiped, and WeChat or Alipay can be used to scan codes, giving foreigners multiple payment options.
The reporter learned from the Hainan Branch of the People's Bank of China that as of the end of May, the coverage rate of ATMs supporting overseas bank card withdrawals deployed by national banking institutions in Hainan Province has reached 97.98%, and there are 28,500 merchants in the province that can accept overseas bank cards. In the first five months of this year, Hainan Province's mobile payment has served more than 50,000 overseas users, and the number and amount of transactions are 1.71 times and 1.55 times that of the whole year of 2023, respectively.
From taxis to hotels, from restaurants to tourist attractions, the convenience levels of foreign card acceptance, foreign currency exchange and other aspects in various industries in Hainan are improving.
"In the past, overseas guests mainly paid in cash, but this year more and more people are using electronic payment," said Kang Kaimin, deputy general manager of Haikou Baofa Shengyi Hotel. The hotel supports convenient payment with overseas bank cards, and some overseas tourists have also opened mobile payment services such as WeChat or Alipay. "With diversified payment methods and convenient payment process, overseas tourists have a better experience and are more willing to spend."
David Janke from the UK has lived in Hainan for many years. He now uses WeChat and Alipay to bind his overseas bank cards, and scans the code to pay in daily life scenarios such as dining, riding, shopping, and traveling. "The convenient online payment has gradually made me leave my wallet behind. Now I only need to bring a mobile phone when I go out."
On June 13, David Janke from the UK scanned a code to shop at a specialty store in Haikou. Photo by Wang Ziqian, a reporter from China News Service
The reporter learned that Hainan will continue to promote the parallel development of mobile payment, bank cards, cash and other methods, and will also create a Hainan version of the tourist pass for short-term inbound tourists to facilitate them to scan and pay for small-amount, high-frequency consumption scenarios. LIM said that convenient payment will make it easier for foreign tourists to travel in Hainan. "If it is promoted in traditional old streets, time-honored brands, and treasure shops, travel will be more interesting."
"My family is coming to Hainan for vacation this year. I hope that no matter where I spend money, I can take out my local British bank card and pay with just a swipe." David Janke looks forward to more smart POS machines that accept foreign cards to further facilitate foreigners.
