China’s Tencent Partners With Helsinki to Help Chinese Travelers Live Like Locals
Photo Credit: Forget about finding a cash machine. MyHelsinki / Harri Tarvainen
Skift Take
Chinese travelers are the world's largest outbound travel market. With the launch of Helsinki's WeChat collaboration, it seems the days of asking them to pay cash in a destination are numbered.
Chinese travelers arriving in Helsinki this week will feel right at home — at least when they are staring at their screens.
The city on Tuesday launched its MyHelsinki Mini Program in conjunction with WeChat's parent company Tencent. It's billed as the first app to offer locally-sourced travel recommendations, public transportation, and purchase capabilities to Chinese travelers who want a "live like a local" experience.
Of course, the idea of creating a in-destination experience that will feel digitally seamless to Chinese travelers is not entirely new. Numerous destinations have invested in building WeChat microsites, and parent company Tencent has been working with tourism organizations throughout the U.S. and Europe to help them reach what is the largest outbound travel market in the world using the app. In addition, companies such as RiverPay exist to connect North American merchants with Chinese cons
