Overseas visitor experiences smooth payments in SZ

Video and photos by Lin Jianping

Since the implementation of the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, China has been welcoming global visitors with unprecedented openness, allowing them to easily step into this ancient yet vibrant land and explore its unique charm.

The National Immigration Administration’s latest data show that the number of international travelers entering China through various ports reached a staggering 14.63 million in the first half of this year, a surge of 152.7% year on year. Notably, of that total, 8.54 million international travelers were able to visit China through the convenience of the visa-free policy, a dramatic year-on-year increase of 190.1%.

Fernanda López Diaz de León, from Mexico, arrives in Shenzhen.  

As a major destination for expats and residents from Hong Kong and Macao, Shenzhen is striving to establish itself as a payment demonstration zone dedicated to providing overseas tourists with an exceptionally convenient payment experience. The journey of Mexican traveler Fernanda López Diaz de León illustrates the city’s convenient payment environment.

Before coming to China, Fernanda had already learned about the extensive use of electronic payments in the country. However, as a short-term visitor, downloading payment apps or linking a bank card was not an ideal option for her. Fortunately, she discovered through online travel resources that using overseas bank cards for payments and cash withdrawals in China was equally simple and convenient, which excited her and led her to experience it firsthand.

Fernanda exchanges U.S. dollars into Chinese yuanusing an Agricultural Bank of China self-service machine.

Afterarriving in Shenzhen, Fernanda first checked in at the Seaview Gleetour Hotel,where she successfully payed for her room with her overseas VISA card. She was pleasantly surprised when the hotel receptionist thoughtfully reminded her that there was a foreign currency exchange machine available that could directly exchange multiple currencies, such as U.S. dollars, euros, and pounds. After afew simple steps, Fernanda successfully exchanged her U.S. dollars for anequivalent amount in Chinese yuan.

Fernanda demonstrates the Change Purse she exchanged at an Agricultural Bank of China outlet.

Once checked in, Fernanda was eager to experience Shenzhen’s shopping scene. To ensure she had enough cash for shopping, she went to an Agricultural Bank of China Shenzhen Branch outlet next to the hotel, where she smoothly withdrew cash using her overseas VISA card. The bank staff also helped Fernanda exchange her cash withdrawal for smaller denominations for daily expenses.

In response to international travelers preferring to use cash for purchases, the Agricultural Bank of China Shenzhen Branch has introduced a “Change Purse” service, which offers exchange options of 100 yuan, 200 yuan, 500 yuan, and other denominations. As of Oct. 31, the Agricultural Bank of China Shenzhen Branch had processed a total of 117,612 Change Purses at its outlets, amounting to 33.93 million yuan.

Afterward, Fernanda took a taxi to UpperHills shopping mall and paid for the fare with the money she had exchanged. Captivated by UpperHills’ unique neighborhood style and concentration of high-end global brands, she fully enjoyed the shopping experience. Whether using card payments for larger purchases or cash for smaller transactions, she found the payment process remarkably convenient.

Fernandauses her overseas VISA card to make a payment at UpperHills.

Thisyear, Shenzhen has continuously improved payment services for overseastravelers by widely deploying POS machines that accept foreign cards in keyconsumer locations, significantly enhancing payment convenience forinternational visitors. As of November this year, nearly 39,000 merchants inShenzhen support foreign card payments, an increase of 36% since the beginningof the year. Additionally, Shenzhen plans to develop 100 convenient paymentdemonstration zones in phases to maximize their catalytic effects. Currently,the first batch of 10 convenient payment demonstration zones has beenofficially announced.