During the 2026 May Day holiday, China's tourism market experienced strong momentum. Facilitated by visa-free policies, convenient payment options such as Alipay and Alipay+ partner wallets, and high-quality services, inbound spending remained robust, outbound travel increased, and holiday consumption activity was significantly stimulated. This led to mutual enhancement in both the quality and efficiency of "traveling in China" and "shopping in China." A growing number of international tourists visited China, with visa-free entry, tax refunds, and Alipay becoming the three essential tools for traveling to the country, driving a surge in inbound consumption throughout the holiday period.
From May 1 to May 3, spending by inbound tourists in China using two convenient payment methods—Alipay's "overseas card binding" and Alipay+'s "overseas wallet usage"—increased by nearly 70% year-on-year. Reports indicate that inbound tourists favored "in-depth independent travel combined with quality spending" during the holiday. Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Jinhua (Yiwu), Chengdu, Chongqing, Nanjing, and Xi'an emerged as the top ten cities for Alipay spending by international travelers, with Nanjing ranking ninth nationwide.
Tourists from Hong Kong (China), Kazakhstan, and Malaysia were the most frequent users of their local e-wallets while traveling in mainland China, recording the highest transaction volumes. During the holiday, inbound tourists enjoyed the convenience of a "one-phone travel experience" in China, with popular digital services on Alipay including ride-hailing, mobile food ordering, renting portable chargers, car rentals, and refueling or recharging vehicles during trips.
On the outbound side, Chinese tourists also benefited from the convenience offered by Alipay overseas. Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asia remained the most popular outbound destinations. Notably, Chinese tourists increasingly used Alipay for payments in Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and Vietnam, where transaction volumes grew the fastest. Sustainable travel habits, such as greater use of mobile payments and public transportation, have become common choices for younger travelers. Alipay ride-hailing transactions overseas saw a 115% year-on-year increase.
In Hong Kong, all taxis accept Alipay, and over 90% of merchants support seamless QR code payments. Both local residents and tourists can use Alipay or other Alipay+ partner wallets for payments without needing to exchange Hong Kong dollars, making travel and spending more convenient.