Tourism Malaysia has signed a memorandum of understanding with Ant International’s Alipay+ to steer visitors to Malaysian businesses via digital wallets, the partners said on October 14.
The deal ties the Tourism Malaysia Alipay+ partnership into the Visit Malaysia 2026-2027 campaign, with the aim of spreading tourist spending beyond the main hubs to small operators. It follows the agency’s push into new source markets, including a sales mission to Russia, as payment apps compete to become travellers’ default tool abroad, with rivals such as Wise adding cross-border QR payments.
Under the agreement, cultural, food and experience offers verified by Tourism Malaysia will appear in Alipay+ Voyager, an AI travel agent embedded in travellers’ own e-wallets. Visitors can unlock an AI-powered travel subsidy for accommodation, transport and attractions through the agent, and book local ride-hailing without downloading another app. A separate campaign offers 20% savings at small shops through PayNet’s DuitNow network.
Alipay+ said more than 600,000 Malaysian merchants, mostly small businesses, received payments from its partner wallets and bank apps in the first half of 2026, up more than 70% year-on-year. Traveller spending through DuitNow rose more than 60%.
“Cross-border commerce is evolving beyond the moment of payment,” said Michael Guo, Alipay+ general manager for Southeast Asia, South Asia and ANZ at Ant International. Tourism Malaysia director general Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim said the agency was “committed to embracing innovative solutions that enhance visitor convenience and engagement”.
Tourism Malaysia is the promotion agency of Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. Alipay+, Ant International’s cross-border wallet gateway, links more than 2bn user accounts and 150mn merchants across 210 destinations.