China UnionPay Launches Mobile App for Travelers

China UnionPay has launched a mobile app designed to provide one-stop digital services for foreign visitors to China.

The Nihao China app offers services related to payment, transportation, daily life and cultural tourism, the company said in a Wednesday (Dec. 24) press release.

“The launch of the ‘Nihao China’ app is an important innovation of China UnionPay in the field of cross-border digital services, and also a major measure to actively respond to the national call to improve the convenience of inbound tourism and promote the high-quality development of cultural and tourism,” the company said in the release.

Nihao China enables payments both online and offline by supporting top-up with UnionPay cards issued outside China as well as cards issued by Visa and Mastercard, according to the release.

The app also enables access to subway systems and bus services, provides directions to nearby ATMs and foreign currency exchange points, and supports the conversion of more than 160 currencies, the release said.

Other digital services provided by Nihao China include tools for translating conversations and text, answering questions about transportation and food recommendations, and helping with route planning, per the release.

“Looking ahead, China UnionPay will continue to optimize product functions, expand domestic and foreign cooperation ecosystems, join hands with global partners to build a more intelligent, interconnected and friendly cross-border life service network, and continuously contribute financial and technological strength to promoting cross-border tourism cooperation and cultural and people-to-people exchanges,” the company said in the release.

China UnionPay said in March 2024 that it was participating in a broader campaign to improve payment convenience for international visitors to China.

Global travelers are looking for speed, flexibility, trust and confidence, Tribh Grewal, head of international product strategy and business development at Discover® Network, told PYMNTS in an interview posted Dec. 3.

Those expectations have increased the demands placed on financial infrastructure to reduce friction in payments, Grewal said.

“FinTechs and banks that can localize smartly, simplify currency challenges and give real-time control will win the loyalty of the consumers,” Grewal said. “It’s not just about where can I pay, it’s how I’m informed. Can I get real-time notifications? Currency conversions? Translation services for merchant information?”