VIETNAM. Southern Airports Services Joint Stock Company (SASCO) has signed a deal with Vietnamese mobile payment platform VIMO.vn to accept WeChat Pay (Weixin Pay) from Chinese tourists at its duty free stores across the country.
The service will be available first at Vietnam’s busiest airport Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City before expanding to SASCO’s stores at other airports.
As of 2 January 2018, Chinese tourists at Ho Chi Minh City Airport will be able to use the WeChat mobile application to scan QR-codes generated by the cashier at checkout to make a cash/credit card-free payment.
SASCO, which is partly owned by Airports Corporation of Vietnam, runs duty free departures and arrivals stores at Ho Chi Minh City Airport as well as speciality retail, passenger lounges, food & beverage and other consumer services.
“SASCO is always ahead of the trends, leveraging technology to optimise business and bring convenience and high-quality products to customers. Our plan for 2018 is to accept WeChat payment through VIMO at all airport outlets to create convenience for Chinese customers,” said SASCO Deputy General Director Nguyen Van Hung Cuong.
The retailer offers popular Vietnamese souvenirs such as aloe wood and coffee as well as food and wines, perfume & cosmetics, fashion and jewellery.
VIMO is the largest mobile wallet and the first mobile payment platform allowing Chinese customers to pay with WeChat in Vietnam.
VIMO General Director Do Cong Die said in 2018 VIMO is set to expand its acceptance network to 2,000 more shops to provide the payment method for Chinese tourists and help boost revenue for local merchants.
Vietnam has become one of the most attractive destinations for Chinese tourists, with an estimated 3.5 million arrivals spending nearly US$3 billion in 2017. In 2018, VIMO aims to boost Chinese tourist spend in Vietnam by +10% from US$638 on average per capita in 2017.
VIMO currently offers WeChat payment across almost 500 stores at popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, including more than 50 stores at five international airports with direct flights to and from China
