To help global tourists better enjoy the inaugural Shanghai Summer International Consumption Season, the Shanghai branch of the Bank of China has been leveraging its strengths in cross-border business to optimize payment services, creating a welcoming and hospitable consumption environment for global tourists.

Digital services for visitors

Visitors can check information about hundreds of events across the city in the commercial, tourism, cultural, sports, and exhibition fields on the "I Go Shanghai" WeChat mini-program, accessible via the BOC mobile app by clicking on the dedicated Shanghai Summer service zone.

Additionally, the BOC provides guides for services in Shanghai for overseas visitors through various channels, such as WeChat official accounts and mini-programs, helping both domestic and international tourists stay informed about popular activities and services in Shanghai.

The "I Go Shanghai" WeChat mini-program

The Shanghai Summer service zone on the BOC mobile app

Offline promotion and services

BOC Shanghai is also promoting its financial services through offline activities. At a summer market in Xuhui district, the Xuhui sub-branch set up a promotional booth to offer consultations on financial services, educate users about optimized payment methods, and promote mobile banking payment discounts.

At a new one-stop service station for international travelers arriving at Terminal 2 of Pudong International Airport, BOC Shanghai has stationed dedicated personnel to provide multilingual consultations on payment services round-the-clock. The station, which began trial operations on June 29, operates 24/7 and provides crucial services, including purchasing local SIM cards, cash exchange and withdrawal, mobile payment consultations, and the rental of portable Wi-Fi equipment.

The station is equipped with a BOC self-service exchange machine that can verify nine types of documents, supports eight languages, and facilitates currency exchange for 20 different currencies in over 160 denominations, ensuring 24/7 services to meet diverse foreign exchange needs. Additionally, a BOC ATM at the station supports cash withdrawals and balance inquiries using foreign bank cards and provides small denomination notes of 10 yuan.

Since the trial operation began, BOC Shanghai has served over 1,000 travelers at the station, with its self-service machines handling more than 1,000 transactions.

Innovative payment solutions

Since the State Council issued the “Opinions on Further Optimizing Payment Services to Facilitate Payments” in March this year, BOC Shanghai has been exploring innovative payment methods to create an efficient and convenient payment environment. To date, the bank has enabled over 4,000 merchants in Shanghai to accept foreign cards, installing over 6,000 devices.

BOC Shanghai has also equipped taxis in Shanghai with multifunctional POS machines that support payments via domestic and foreign bank cards, UnionPay mobile QuickPass, digital renminbi, WeChat Pay, and Alipay, marking the first payment upgrade plan dedicated to taxis in China.

In collaboration with the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, BOC Shanghai recently released a guide on VAT refunds for tourists. The bank is working with over 300 merchants to provide refund services and supports designated malls in offering immediate refunds upon purchase, further enhancing the international shopping experience in Shanghai.

Source: shobserver.com