Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, has announced that it is now accepting WeChat Pay transactions on its websites for online room reservations. This is in addition to the 15 hotels that already deploy nearly 100 EDC devices for QR code scanning on WeChat Pay, making it the largest hotel group in Thailand offering Chinese tourists omni-channel payment solutions. Bills for accommodation, restaurants and spa treatments can be paid directly from smartphones. The company expects to have WeChat Pay at all Centara Hotels & Resorts globally by the end of 2018, thus providing convenience to customers, especially Chinese guests.
Thirayuth Chirathivat, Centara Chief Executive Officer, said: “A seamless payment experience for consumers using any channel is an element of our platform for expansion, which should see us double both revenue and the number of our properties over the next five years. As consumer behavior evolves, Centara has adopted an omni-channel strategy to stay relevant and to provide a great customer experience. We embrace these types of disruptive opportunities to better serve our guests and stay on top of the industry.”
Chinese tourists account for almost one third of all foreign travellers to this country. Thailand is welcoming an ever-increasing number of Chinese visitors, for whom the kingdom remains the top travel destination. This year, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports expects more than 10 million Chinese tourists to travel to Thailand.
WeChat Pay is the payment solution of WeChat, one of the largest social networks in China. WeChat Pay has become the main cashless payment method for daily small transactions in China and has more than 800 million active users in its database.
“The number of Chinese tourists booking with Centara keeps growing. They are a significant customer base for all businesses in Thailand. Centara’s Chinese website receive hundreds of thousands of visits from Chinese users. Almost half the visits come from a mobile device. Earlier this year we signed an agreement with TreePayCo.,Ltd., a payment platform facilitator to develop a system that allows Chinese customers to use their mobile phones to make e-payments outside of China for accommodation and services at Centara properties. WeChat Pay users and Chinese travellers can stay and enjoy the whole trip with Centara with only a few quick taps on their smartphone. Today’s consumers are connecting their omni-channel experiences with the likeability of the brands. In order to maintain our brand leadership, we are committed to providing seamless guest satisfaction across touchpoints.”Thirayuth added.
Other than the 2 main websites, Centara’s 15 hotels also welcome WeChat QR code payment. These are: Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Center at Central World, Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao, Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya, Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui, Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin, Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi, Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, Centara Villas Samui, Centara Villas Phuket, Centara Kata Resort Phuket, Centara Karon Resort Phuket, Centara Mae Sot Hill Resort, Centara Hotel Hat Yai, Centra by Centara Government Complex Hotel & Convention Centre Chaeng Watthana and COSI Samui Chaweng.