Over 90% foreign travelers laud convenience of China mobile payment: report

(ECNS) -- The Silk Road Research Institute at Beijing Foreign Studies University released a report on Tuesday based on a survey of over 2,000 foreign travelers from 111 countries, revealing that 99 percent of those surveyed would recommend visiting China to their friends.

More than 90 percent of those experienced improved convenience with mobile payments, according to the report.

In addition to the widely used “scan to pay” option, nearly 90 percent of the foreign visitors expressed interest in trying “tap-to-pay” methods, where users simply unlock their phones and tap on merchants’ devices to make payments and order food.

The mobile payment adoption rate among foreign travelers born in the 90s and 00s is relatively high, at around 90 percent, according to the report. This reflects the narrowing gap between Chinese and foreign payment practices.

In 2024, guided by China’s financial authorities and local governments, payment services for foreign tourists continue to improve. Those surveyed reported using various payment methods, including bank cards, mobile payments, cash, or combinations like “bank card + mobile payment,” “bank card + cash,” or all three together.