Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to launch Australia’s first Alipay City on the Gold Coast next month

CHINESE e-commerce giant Alibaba is making a major play for Chinese visitors, students and residents in Australia — and the Gold Coast is ground zero. The deal could mean a billion-dollar windfall for local businesses.

Chinese have skipped the era of credit and debit card use at point of sale, preferring cash and mobile payments.

GOLD Coast will be the nation’s first “Alipay City” as the Chinese mobile payment giant looks to make the most of an increasing number of tourists and students spending time and money here.

Alipay is a mobile payment platform that has a 49 per cent stake in e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba, which has been leapfrogging traditional retail giants and threatening to pass the likes of WalMart, Apple and Amazon.

The platform is being rolled out to 36,000 merchants through a deal with ASX-listed Southport e-commerce company BPS, enabling Chinese to pay via their mobile­ phones for products and services, including accommodation, entertainment, car hire and food.

Alipay is among the top payments of choice in China, where credit card use at point of sale is uncommon and cash or mobile transactions are prevalent.

Among the largest organisations set to sign on with Alipay is Gold Coast City Council, which will also allow ratepayers of up to 10,000 Gold Coast properties owned by Chinese to pay their rates and fees more easily.

Signage for Alipay at a counter in a store in Hong Kong, China.

The Alipay City launch, planned at Skypoint on December 6, is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of Alipay’s 520 million users via livestream.

The Bulletin understands Alipay will be actively encouraging Gold Coast businesses of all sizes who are looking to better serve Chinese customers to partner with them as a merchant.

The partnership with BPS means Chinese will also be able to access deals and discounts through its popular Entertainment Book network.

Mayor Tom Tate said Alipay’s choice of the Gold Coast as its first Australian target recognised the city’s reputation among highly mobile Chinese travellers

“This payment platform is exploding across China so for visitors to know we have been rated Australia’s first Alipay city tells them we are ready, welcoming and keen to be part of the global economy. It is big news,” he said..

“If the system can safely transact anything from a share trade to a dinner bill, all on the touch of a mobile phone, I’m sure the payment of rates is well within its capability.”

Alipay is the top method of payment in China.

Alipay confirmed the company was “in discussions with Gold Coast City Council around how to best help local merchants capitalise on the thousands of Chinese tourists who visit every year”.

“Our focus is ensuring merchants can easily accept payment in-store via Alipay,” a statement for the company said.

“We are in discussions with commercial areas, popular tourist locations, shopping centres and businesses of all sizes who want to better service Chinese tourists.

“We look forward to announcing more about the official partnership in the coming weeks.”