MANILA -- Duty Free Philippines (DFP) is expanding its partnership with Alipay, China's biggest mobile payment platform, by including benefits and rewards to its current online payment system.
The move, which sought to attract the lucrative Chinese clientele, will feature up to 20% discount on selected luxury brands and 40 renminbi rebates for a minimum spend of 800 renminbi at Luxe Duty Free in Pasay City and DFP outlets inside Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
“The strategy is in line with the increasing Chinese tourist arrivals and workforce in the Philippines,” said DFP Chief Operating Officer Vicente Pelagio Angala.
The amount of payments made by Chinese customers through Alipay has increased by about 900% since the mobile payment was introduced, according to the state-owned corporation.
In the first half of 2019 alone, the number of Chinese customers who shopped at the said outlets has been consistently growing, with a 64% share to the total number of customers.
DFP has begun working with Alipay on November 2018 to reach the Chinese customers and offer the convenience they enjoy at home as well as Alipay’s competitive foreign exchange rate.
“We target to increase our market share by meeting the needs of our potential customers by making sure that we keep up with innovations and current trends,” Angala said.
“These efforts will enhance DFP’s retail presence to continually contribute to government’s tourism programs and projects through our revenue share to Department of Tourism,” he added.
Alipay is currently available at Luxe Duty Free and outlets inside Cebu-Mactan International Airport.
Last year, the number of China's outbound tourists to the Philippines has reached 1.25 million tourists, an increase of 29% from a year earlier. (PR)
