In this Feb 1, 2014 file photo, tourists walk at the famous tourist spot Senado Square on the second day of the Chinese New Year in Macao. (VINCENT YU / AP)
More than a hundred Macao merchants will offer incentives through AlipayHK from Jan 20 as part of the city’s push to attract travelers from Hong Kong and boost local consumption following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions between the two special administrative regions.
The online campaign is expected to help promote local Macao merchants and increase their exposure, as well as position the city as an attractive tourist destination for travelers from Hong Kong in the short- to longer-term, said Ng Wah Wai, director of the Industry and Commerce Association of Macao.
The rollout of the campaign came as the resumption of quarantine-free intercity travel has rekindled enthusiasm for travel
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The rollout of the campaign came as the resumption of quarantine-free intercity travel has rekindled enthusiasm for travel. Macao relaxed its COVID-19 entry rules for Hong Kong in December. Regulations on travel between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and Macao have been optimized since Jan 8.
According to AlipayHK, the e-wallet has 3.3 million active users and is accepted by nearly 90 percent of merchants in Macao. The campaign was jointly launched by Macao’s Economic and Technological Development Bureau, five local chambers of commerce, Macau Pass, Ant Group — the owner of AlipayHK, and featured shops in Macao.
Ng added that the campaign will also help connect Macao merchants with more tourists from other overseas markets through Alipay+, a provider of global cross-border digital payment and marketing solutions.
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“With the joint efforts from all parties, we hope this campaign on AlipayHK could further explore the potential of Macao’s featured merchants via online promotion, enhance the attractiveness of Macao’s tourism consumption, encourage the second and third-time visits of tourists to Macao, and jointly create new momentum for Macao’s overall economic growth,” said Ng.
evanliu@chinadailyhk.com