Duty Free Philippines (DFP) is expanding its mobile payment platform to include benefits and rewards for customers, a move designed to attract the lucrative Chinese clientele.

The expanded partnership with Alipay, one of China’s biggest online and mobile payments platforms now includes rebates and extra savings on purchases. These include up to 20 percent discount on selected luxury brands and 40RMB rebates for a minimum spend of 800RMB at Luxe Duty Free in Pasay City and DFP outlets inside Cebu-Mactan International Airport.

“The strategy is in line with the increasing Chinese tourist arrivals and workforce in the Philippines,” said DFP chief operating officer Vicente Pelagio Angala.

The amount of payments made by Chinese customers through Alipay has increased by about 900 percent since the mobile payment was introduced.

Furthermore, the number of Chinese customers who shopped at the said outlets has been consistently growing, with a 64 percent share to the total number of customers during the first half of 2019.

DFP has begun working with Alipay on November 2018 to reach the Chinese customers and offer the convenience they enjoy at home as well as Alipay’s competitive foreign exchange rate.

“We target to increase our market share by meeting the needs of our potential customers by making sure that we keep up with innovations and current trends,” Angala said.

“These efforts will enhance DFP’s retail presence to continually contribute to government’s tourism programs and projects through our revenue share to Department of Tourism,” he added.

Alipay is currently available at Luxe Duty Free and outlets inside Cebu-Mactan International Airport.