The Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism and Ant Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement to advance Shanghai's smart tourism, digital cultural services, and inbound tourism on May 18.

To simplify access to attractions, Alipay, a subsidiary of Ant Group, will implement its Alipay Tap and trusted identity-verification "one-code access" features in collaboration with the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism. These systems will enable "tap-to-enter" and "one-code" attraction entry, making visits more convenient for tourists.

The partnership will also create special access channels for priority groups, enhance the visitor experience at attractions, and improve the digital efficiency of cultural and tourism services.

Alipay will help upgrade the official Hu Xiaoyou service platform of the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism and develop an integrated online-offline service system featuring AI agents and mini programs. Visitors who tap their phones to enter attractions can access Hu Xiaoyou or AI-enabled tour-guide services at scenic areas and museums, receiving personalized digital guidance throughout their visit.

To support the tourism industry's development, Alipay will provide Shanghai travel agencies with an  Enterprise Code solution for tour-guide reserve funds, helping the sector operate in compliance while improving efficiency and service quality through digital tools.

Furthermore, Ant Group will collaborate with Shanghai's cultural institutions, museums, and intangible cultural heritage inheritors to create innovative models combining culture and digital technology.

Leveraging its cross-border services and payment networks, including the Alipay+ global service network that connects over 1.5 billion users worldwide, Ant Group will help Shanghai's inbound tourism agencies expand their overseas customer base.

By streamlining payment options and processes, Alipay aims to enhance the inbound visitor experience and attract more international tourists to Shanghai.

Source: Shanghai Observer