Tourism Malaysia and Alipay+ have signed an MoU to use AI travel tools and digital payments to connect visitors with local businesses.
Tourism Malaysia, an agency under Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, and Alipay+, the unified wallet gateway of Ant International, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate cross-border commerce and digitalise merchant engagement across Malaysia’s tourism sector. Ahead of the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 campaign, the partnership combines Tourism Malaysia’s destination marketing with Alipay+’s global wallet ecosystem and AI capabilities. The aim is to connect international travellers directly with local operators and SMEs, and to spread visitor spending beyond the country’s main tourist hubs.
AI travel agent and subsidy programme
A central part of the collaboration is Alipay+ Voyager, an AI travel agent embedded in travellers’ digital wallets, which will surface cultural, culinary, and experiential offerings verified by Tourism Malaysia and tailored to individual interests. Tourism Malaysia will also launch an AI-powered travel subsidy programme, allowing visitors to unlock benefits for accommodation, transport, and attractions by interacting with the agent. Visitors can also book local ride-hailing services through the agent without downloading additional apps, with protection covering timeouts, no-shows, and long waits. In addition, a campaign offering 20% savings through PayNet’s DuitNow aims to encourage spending at small local shops, while Malaysian businesses will become visible within global e-wallets in the Alipay+ ecosystem.
Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, stated that digital technologies continue to change how people plan and experience travel. According to Mohd Amirul Rizal, the initiative makes it easier for travellers to discover Malaysia and access tourism-related benefits, supporting efforts under Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 to strengthen the country’s position as a smart tourism destination. He added that using digital platforms with international reach allows Tourism Malaysia to engage travellers more effectively.
Alipay+ activity in Malaysia
The agreement builds on Alipay+’s growth in Malaysia. In the first half of 2026, more than 600,000 merchants, mainly SMEs, received payments from Alipay+ partner wallets and bank apps, an increase of more than 70% year-on-year, while traveller spending through DuitNow rose by more than 60%. Globally, Alipay+ connects more than 2 billion user accounts with 150 million merchants across 210 destinations and operates through national payment schemes such as PayNet.
Michael Guo, Alipay+ General Manager for Southeast Asia, South Asia, and ANZ at Ant International, stated that cross-border commerce is evolving beyond the moment of payment, as AI can now link a traveller’s intent with the right destination, business, and offer. According to Guo, the collaboration helps local businesses, particularly SMEs, not only accept international payments but also actively engage global customers. The partnership reflects a broader shift in wallet providers’ role, from enabling payments to influencing where travellers spend through discovery and promotion within the wallet itself.
