FREENOW, an European taxi app, has integrated Alipay+ cross-border mobile payment solutions with its taxi cab services in seven European countries: Spain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, France, Greece and Austria.
The duo said in a statement on Monday that the partnership enhances the travel experience for Asian visitors to Europe, as the region benefits from peak tourism this summer.
Alipay+, a suite of cross-border mobile payments and digitalization technology solutions and official sponsor of UEFA EURO 2024™, has developed a mini-program that allows Asian tourists to book a FREENOW taxi and pay with one of three e-wallets: Alipay (Chinese mainland), AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China) and Touch n Go eWallet (Malaysia), as if they were in their home country.
AlipayHK users will be able to earn personalized rewards with every FREENOW ride they take, providing another benefit for travelers from the Hong Kong region.
“This collaboration allows us to offer Asian travelers an unrivalled experience, combining convenience with our best-in-class-service,” said Andreas Maier, Chief Executive Officer of FREENOW Germany and Austria.
Pietro Candela, General Manager of Europe at Alipay+, said that uring the peak summer season, FREENOW will benefit from the large influx of Asian tourists visiting major European cities, which are becoming increasingly popular destinations, especially this year for the EUROs.
“We also want to adapt to the needs of these Asian travelers, so that they can conveniently pay with their
preferred e-wallet and benefit from the personalized promotions on offer,” he added.
FREENOW was founded in 2009, with the mission of modernizing the taxi sector by creating an advanced tech platform that helps drivers transition to an app-driven, sustainable taxi service.
The firm is Europe’s multi-mobility app with taxi offering at its core, available in nine European markets and over 150 cities.
FREENOW users can access various mobility services within a single app, including taxis, PHV, carsharing, car rental, eScooters, eBikes, eMopeds and public transport.
The firm partners with numerous mobility brands and aggregates their offering with the ambition to make urban mobility more efficient and sustainable without adding new vehicles on the street.
It has over 150,000 partner drivers in Europe, and advocates for a taxi framework that protects its drivers and passengers.
The Germany-based company is backed by the BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz Mobility. It is led by Chief Executive Officer Thomas Zimmermann.
Alipay+ is a suite of cross-border mobile payment and digitalization technology solutions that help connect global merchants to consumers.
Consumers enjoy seamless payment and a broad choice of deals using their preferred payment methods while travelling abroad.
Small and medium-sized businesses may use Alipay+ digital tools to enhance efficiency and achieve omni-channel growth.