Tourism Malaysia has partnered with Alipay+ to encourage tourists to spend beyond Malaysia’s major travel destinations.
The two parties signed a MoU to expand cross-border payments and AI-powered travel services under the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 campaign.
The partnership aims to connect international visitors with local businesses through Alipay+’s network of digital wallets and banking apps.
Its AI travel agent, Alipay+ Voyager, will recommend Tourism Malaysia-verified cultural, culinary and other tourism experiences based on travellers’ interests.
Tourism Malaysia also plans to introduce an AI-powered travel subsidy programme that allows visitors to access accommodation, transport and attraction benefits through the digital agent.
Visitors will also be able to access local ride-hailing services without downloading additional apps.
Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, said,
“This initiative makes it easier for travellers to discover Malaysia and access tourism-related benefits through a seamless digital journey, supporting our broader efforts under VM2026–2027 to strengthen Malaysia’s competitiveness as a smart tourism destination.
By leveraging digital platforms with extensive international reach, we can engage travellers more effectively while showcasing Malaysia’s diverse tourism experiences to a wider global audience.”
Michael Guo, Alipay+ General Manager for Southeast Asia, South Asia and ANZ, Ant International, said,
“Through our collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, we are helping local businesses not only accept international payments, but also to actively engage global customers, creating more opportunities for Malaysian businesses, particularly SMEs, to participate in the growth of cross-border travel and commerce.”
In the first half of 2026, over 600,000 Malaysian merchants, mainly SMEs, received payments through Alipay+ partner wallets and banking apps, an increase of more than 70 percent year-on-year.
Alipay+ also reported a rise of over 60 percent in traveller spending through DuitNow.
The partnership will include a campaign offering 20 percent savings through PayNet’s DuitNow to encourage spending at small local businesses.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Malaysia, based on image by Alipay+
