In an attempt to lure more Chinese clientele visiting the UK, The Savoy is the first luxury hotel in London to accept payments via Alipay.
The Savoy partners with China’s leading third-party mobile and online payment platform to implement Alipay across the entire hotel.
China is a market of its own with unprecedented growth of outbound tourists recording 127 million trips. This figure is expected to reach 200m in 2020. Chinese travellers also have the deepest pockets when travelling, spending CNY 27.79 billion (US$4.35 bn) in shopping.
It is like a reflex for travel-related businesses to pay attention to Chinese tourists as they bring big business. And one way to cater Chinese travellers is to make it easier for them to pay for goods and services. The Savoy is the first to pounce on this golden opportunity in the UK as it recognises the need to offer this fast, secure, and cashless payment service to its Chinese guests.
The Savoy want to ensure that we are offering a seamless guest experience that touches on every element of their stay, including their preferred methods of payment.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Alipay, and to be the first luxury London hotel to embark on such a partnership. London is the favourite destination for Chinese tourists coming to Britain and we at The Savoy want to ensure that we are offering a seamless guest experience that touches on every element of their stay, including their preferred methods of payment,” said Philip Barnes, managing director of The Savoy.
Alipay is used by 520 million people. Alipay, run by Alibaba’s financial arm Ant financial, has been developing partnerships with major luxury retailers in London since the platform launched in Europe in 2016, so this is a natural evolution.
“We are excited to see Alipay’s partnership with The Savoy, which allows Chinese tourists coming into London to enjoy the ultimate accommodation and dining experiences. It’s the perfect match between 19th-century culture and 21st-century technology,” Li Wang, head of Alipay EMEA, added.
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