Alibaba is continuing its push to help Chinese travelers connect with businesses overseas, including the U.S. The e-Commerce giant’s digital payments platform, Alipay, is integrating local content from Yelp into its mobile lifestyle app.
With the beta launch, Alipay users visiting New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco can use Yelp to discover, plan, make reservations and share authentic experiences. Additional cities and countries will be added to the program later in 2017.
Earlier in August, Alibaba entered a joint venture with Marriott, enabling Chinese travelers to book rooms at Marriott hotels via its travel service platform Fliggy.
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Through the Alipay app’s Discover tab, Chinese travelers in the U.S. can access Yelp content to:
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Find local restaurants, bars and shops;
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Get directions;
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Read review snippets in English;
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Make reservations; and
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Pay in Chinese yuan at retailers that accept Alipay.
“Our partnership with Yelp expedites our goal towards a digital lifestyle and represents a substantial opportunity for U.S. businesses to connect with the growing audience of Chinese travelers that would otherwise be difficult to reach,” said Souheil Badran, President, Alipay, North America. “Alipay is already the trusted lifestyle app for Chinese consumers at home, and our growing suite of location-based content and services will continue to elevate their experiences when they travel abroad.”
