InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a global partnership with Alipay, a Chinese third-party online payment solutions company. This move will allow Chinese guests to pay via Alipay through all of IHG’s online and mobile channels, as well as across its estate of hotels globally. The new partnership, which has been agreed with Alipay’s parent company Ant Financial, will initially apply to IHG’s existing estate of more than 270 hotels in Greater China, as well as a number of hotels around the world that participate in IHG’s China Ready Programme, which offers a range of tailored services to Chinese travellers. The global rollout of Alipay will begin in 2017.
China is currently IHG’s second largest market globally. The partnership is expected to allow IHG to further capitalise on the increase in Chinese outbound travel. According to IHG’s Future of Chinese Travel Report published in 2015, nearly 90 million Chinese households will be able to travel overseas by 2023, fuelled by a growing middle class and increasing propensity to travel.
Keith Barr, chief commercial officer, IHG, commented, “IHG has always been a leader in providing advanced payment solutions to guests through our direct booking channels. We are thrilled to be partnering with Alipay to strengthen our travel experience for our guests globally.” Adding to that, Emily Chang, chief commercial officer, IHG Greater China, said, “Via this strategic global partnership with Alipay, we will be exploring opportunities for more in-depth co-operation, including Alipay’s Post Post Pay and the Hotel of the Future Programme, to further improve the booking, onsite and departure experience for our guests.”
Sabrina Peng, vice president, Ant Financial, commented, “With IHG’s extensive global footprint, this strategic collaboration will help Alipay reach out to more customers, especially Chinese customers as they travel around the world.”
Alipay is currently available in 70 countries and regions across the world. It handles over 160 million transactions every day, of which mobile payments account for more than 70 per cent.