Payments made easier for foreign visitors, expats

With two major international events on the horizon, Dalian improves convenience, services for travelers

Banks in Dalian, Liaoning province, have issued more than 110,000 wallets containing small change — including to over 13,000 taxi drivers — as part of the city's latest efforts to provide more convenience to expats and visitors from overseas.

The "change wallets" have small-denomination notes of one, five, 10 and 20 yuan, according to the Dalian branch of the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank. The banks offer standard wallets for 300 yuan ($41) or others with tailored amounts to meet the public's diversified demand for cash services.

"People in China have been using mobile phone payments for quite a while now," said South African kindergarten teacher Roslyn Rochelle Govender, who has lived in Dalian for 10 years.

"Most of our new foreign colleagues set up Alipay and WeChat Pay once they have secured a bank card. But, overseas visitors usually find it difficult to obtain a card when visiting for a short period of time," she said, adding that optimizing payment services will greatly help inbound visitors.

Wang Kechao, a taxi driver in Dalian, said as Alipay and WeChat Pay are so popular, many taxi drivers are reluctant to accept cash because it's inconvenient to provide. However, he added he'd met some Japanese tourists who exclusively use online payment methods.

Dalian is an important port, industrial, trade, financial and tourism center in Northeast China. It has a large number of inbound travelers for business, study and tourism.

From May 14 to 28, the port city will host the 2024 International School Sport Federation Football World Cup, with 56 teams from 33 countries and regions participating. In June, it will host the 15th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, which will bring together over 1,500 high-level participants.

Groups doing preparation work for the forum are making arrangements for the participants' accommodation, meals, transportation, sightseeing and exchanges.

As these international events draw closer, Dalian is aiming to provide more convenient and diversified services for foreign visitors.

Payments made easy

With the support of local government, PBOC's Dalian branch has set out a plan to promote the development and use of various payment methods, including mobile payments and bank cards, to better meet the needs of foreign visitors as well as the elderly.

The plan came after the State Council, China's Cabinet, released a guideline on March 7 on coordinating the efforts of various authorities to improve payment services and make them more convenient.

On March 14, the PBOC released a payment guide, which instructs foreigners through text and graphics on how to use bank cards, cash, mobile payments and e-CNY digital yuan in China.

"I've noticed recently that payment has become increasingly convenient in Dalian, whether it's paying by card, scanning a QR code or using cash," said Igor Popov, who has lived in Dalian for a decade.

"When my friends arrive at the airport, I can take them to places to exchange currencies immediately. At major hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions, foreign visitors can pay with cards bearing the logos of UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club, JCB or American Express," he added.

PBOC's Dalian branch has also issued a service guide for the city, to improve multi-language bank account services and ensure that opening an account or handling a complaint is completed within one hour.

"Mobile payment is developing rapidly in China, replacing traditional payment methods such as bank cards and cash. But some elderly residents and foreign visitors might find it inconvenient," Zhu Yan, deputy head of the PBOC Dalian branch, said at a news conference last month.

She said PBOC is establishing payment service centers in key areas of Dalian, such as the airport, and is also setting up demonstration business areas near the Summer Davos Forum venue.

By June 30, point-of-sale terminals across Dalian's key sectors and merchants will be able to accept foreign bank and credit cards, Zhu said. The number of merchants accepting foreign cards is expected to reach 20,000, while all major banks' ATMs in the city will support cash withdrawals made with foreign cards.

With the goal of achieving easy access to subway travel for foreigners, the PBOC Dalian branch has coordinated with local transportation authorities, China UnionPay and other relevant departments and units, to make it possible for foreign cards to be used to buy subway tickets.

China UnionPay said it's aiming to improve the acceptance of foreign bank cards in eight major sectors — food, accommodation, transportation, tourism, shopping, entertainment, medical care and education.

All payment methods, such as cards, QR codes, and mobile payments, will support foreign card purchases at core subway stations, and some taxis will be able to accept foreign card payments.

Bank of China is expanding its cooperation with foreign currency exchange partners from the nine it already has in Dalian.

BOC Dalian branch sources said all of its 99 banking outlets in Dalian can provide foreign currency exchange services. The bank's 233 ATMs in the city can fully support cash withdrawal services for mainstream international bank cards issued abroad, with terminal interfaces available in both Chinese and English.

Wang Gangjian, deputy head of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China's Dalian branch, said the branch will establish an overseas guests payment service center at Dalian International Airport.

"At the service center, specialized financial service personnel will provide consultation services and promote knowledge on mobile payments, digital RMB payments, and other services to foreign visitors," he said at a news conference earlier this year.

The center will also provide short-term mobile phone cards for foreign visitors and be equipped with foreign currency exchange machines and ATMs that can handle cash withdrawals with foreign cards, said Wang.

In late April, a payment service center for overseas guests was put into operation at the international airport and another at the international cruise ship terminal.

Tourists' convenience

Dalian is aiming to make the stay of overseas visitors more convenient to boost inbound tourism.

Sources from Dalian's Culture and Tourism Bureau said the city's cultural and tourism stakeholders should upgrade services for overseas tourists through measures such as consultation desks at major scenic spots to make bookings and ticket purchases easier.

Travel agencies handling services have been instructed to have small change on hand, and provide guidelines on money exchanges and tutorials on online payments.

"Dalian has rich cultural and tourism resources," said Yu Jingdong, general manager of Dalian Wenyuan Travel Agency. "Many tourists from Russia, South Korea and Japan are considering it as a must-visit city in 2024, especially after it was selected as 'Culture City of East Asia'."

Yu cited the example of a South Korean tourist who was impressed by the seafood in Dalian and has visited the city with his family twice in recent months.

Another South Korean tourist, who had been suffering from a herniated disc for years, found relief after having traditional Chinese medicine therapy and acupuncture during a stay last year. "Now, he visits Dalian every quarter for treatment and traditional Chinese medicine recuperation," Yu said.

Earlier this year, Dalian's Culture and Tourism Bureau, in collaboration with tourism businesses and bodies, developed a 2024 implementation plan to strengthen inbound tourism by making travel more convenient for visitors.

The plan targets four major travel groups — Japanese, Korean, Russian, and English-speaking tourists.

It emphasizes that foreign tourists as well as compatriots visiting from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan should enjoy the same services as locals at scenic spots, shopping malls, libraries, museums, art galleries and other public places.

The ease of booking tickets for scenic areas and transportation, as well as registering hotel accommodation with valid documents should also be improved.

The plan also recommended strengthening English-language training for tour guides and service personnel at scenic spots, hotels, and other facilities, as well as improving English signage and tour facilities at scenic areas, airports, stations, hotels and shopping malls.

Overseas bookings, payment settlement, network communication, medical assistance, and language signage should all be stepped up to boost international tourism, it said.

Wang Wenyong, deputy head of Dalian's Culture and Tourism Bureau, said service provision and targeted products are fundamental aspects of inbound tourism.

"We will introduce thoughtful services and products tailored to the consumption habits of different source markets, and pay special attention to people services and product optimization … including (payment) settlement, currency exchange, communication and more," he said.

Before the May Day holiday promotional brochures and tourism maps in five languages — Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean and Russian — were placed in star-rated hotels, cultural venues, major scenic spots, and other important cultural and tourism locations, Wang said.

Industry thriving

The inbound tourism market in Dalian is thriving, Wang said.

In early January, service guarantees were organized for inbound tourism, including charter flights and international cruise ships.

On March 10, the international cruise ship Zuiderdam docked at Dalian Port cruise terminal, bringing 2,013 passengers and crew members from 47 countries and regions for a day of activities.

"Receiving international cruise ships is an important source of inbound tourism for Dalian's long-haul markets in Europe and America," said Wang, adding that various activities have helped attract tourists from key markets such as Japan, Korea and Russia.

"These will lay a solid foundation for the city to achieve a breakthrough in inbound tourism development throughout the year," he said.

Govender, the kindergarten teacher, said the city's beauty and the remarkable development is making it more appealing to both expats and visitors.

"Dalian is a very uniquely beautiful and visitor-friendly city. I have an extensive network of friends, both foreign and Chinese, here. Life is certainly very convenient in China," she said.

Over the years, adjustments have been made to make life easier for foreigners living in Dalian, particularly in terms of signs and notices in English and ease of getting around the city.

Hoseon Yoon from South Korea who had traveled to Dalian more than 10 years ago, said it is more convenient on this trip thanks to the various payment methods.

"At the airport, I easily found ATMs and currency exchange points, and many places accepted foreign bank card payments," he said.

Upon arrival, with the help of a waiter at a coffee shop, he was able to make payments through his mobile phone, which made his visit more convenient in the following days.

"Dalian has done a great job, but there is still room for improvement. When we went to Shanghai, we obtained a wealth of information through the city's official online portal for expat services, which provides a one-stop query service for foreign tourists. Dalian could consider launching a similar website," said Yoon.

Kindergarten teacher Govender, who has worked in other countries, suggested Dalian boost visitors' access to local attractions by introducing double-decker sightseeing buses.

She also said an English-language app that can provide information about public transportation routes and schedules, would make it easier for foreigners to navigate the city.

"I must say Dalian has improved drastically. When I first arrived here, bakeries and Western restaurants were rare. But now Dalian can boast of a wide variety of fine dining options," she said.