Ant International Unveils Alipay+ Voyager: A Comprehensive AI Travel Companion for Digital Wallet Users
Ant International has launched Alipay+ Voyager, an innovative AI travel companion designed for users of digital wallets and super apps in the travel sector. This new tool aims to streamline and enrich the travel experiences of consumers worldwide, collaborating with major partners such as Agoda, Fliggy, and Trip.com.
Alipay+ Voyager merges Ant International’s advanced AI technology with a wide array of cross-border travel services provided by online travel agency (OTA) partners and over 100 million merchants within the Alipay+ partner network. The AI travel companion operates through a unified interface embedded within e-wallets and super apps, enabling travelers to plan itineraries, make bookings, and purchase local offerings via text or voice in their preferred language, ensuring a smooth user experience.
Initially, Alipay+ Voyager will be accessible through three of Asia’s leading mobile wallets: Alipay in mainland China, AlipayHK in Hong Kong SAR, and GCash in the Philippines, just in time for the peak summer travel season. The service is set to expand to more Alipay+ payment partners throughout 2025. Originally conceived as a cross-border payment solution, Alipay+ now supports 36 prominent e-wallets and payment applications, connecting 1.7 billion consumer accounts with a vast network of merchants. Since 2015, the Alipay+ Wallet Tech team has been collaborating with e-wallet providers in emerging markets to enhance payment security and growth strategies. Looking ahead, the team plans to expand its suite of AI tools across various industries using the Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit, its flagship AI platform for financial technology.
Enhancing Global Connections and Merchant Growth in the Consumer-Wallet Ecosystem
The online travel sector is projected to experience a 10% annual growth rate until 2032, with mobile devices accounting for two-thirds of all traffic. Today’s travelers, particularly those from Generation Z, are increasingly seeking unique, localized adventures and prefer mobile-first, all-in-one solutions to explore their travel options.
Alipay+ Voyager offers several key features:
- Comprehensive assistance from a single hub: Users receive support for research, decision-making, and action throughout their travel journey.
- Seamless global-to-local transitions: The platform facilitates easy access to local services, including ride-hailing, public transport, shopping, dining, and sightseeing.
- Proactive curation for user preferences: The AI intuitively recognizes user inclinations, addressing issues like flight delays or adverse weather conditions while presenting highly relevant options in real time, all within the familiar e-wallet interface.
- New growth opportunities for merchants and OTAs: Alipay+ Voyager enables easy deployment across major regional and global e-wallets, allowing businesses to tap into multiple core markets.
“Today’s travelers are increasingly leveraging technology to enhance their experiences, and the industry must respond to these evolving demands,” stated Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International. “By incorporating a proactive, always-available AI travel companion into the digital wallets that consumers frequently use, we are creating new opportunities for travel and wallet partners to engage with travelers in a more relevant and personalized manner throughout their journeys.”
Gil Hazan, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Agoda, added: “At Agoda, we strive to make travel more accessible and seamless for all. By integrating our extensive supply network as a leading online travel platform with Alipay+ Voyager’s broad wallet partnerships, we can provide travelers with a more convenient and personalized booking process. This collaboration allows us to reach a wider audience and deliver customized travel solutions that meet the varied needs of today’s travelers.”
