
The Japanese tour operator JTB has signed an agreement with Alibaba to allow hotels (among other properties) to use its mobile payment platform, Alipay.
The agreement signed between JTB and Alibaba to introduce this mobile payment method on Japanese territory; the Chinese group wants Alipay to be available at 45,000 outlets by the end of the year.
Alibaba had already made its first steps in the tourism industry in late-2014 when it launched Alitrip, a travel-booking platform. Now the Chinese equivalent of PayPal boasts a community of about 400-million of users, the majority of whom are located in China. The payment service platform could, however, expand on a global scale (and especially in touristic outlets) in order to please international travelers who are accustomed to Alipay.
As of April 2016, The Ascott Limited had overseen numerous Chinese partnerships, including a deal closed with Alitrip aimed at offering Ascott's residences on its website, along with Alipay booking options.
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