Lagardère Travel Retail France has launched WeChat Pay at 14 duty-free and fashion stores Nice Côte d’Azur airport.
The implementation of the secure electronic payment service has more than 800 million users and is particularly popular in China, where more than 70% of transactions are now conducted via mobile devices.
The introduction of WeChat Pay contributes to the airport’s aim of catering to its growing Asian client base, which is projected to reach five million visitors by 2020.
Anne-Gaël Normand, director of aeroboutique shopping operations at Lagardère Travel Retail France, said, “This solution is a perfect fit with our promise to offer passengers entering our shops a creative, expert service which offers a simplified and pleasant shopping experience.”
Chinese passengers also have access to a dedicated website via the airport’s free wi-fi, which is also available in Mandarin. This site gives them quick access to all the essentials for arrivals and departures, such as real-time flight and transportation information, and information about VAT refunds and links to tourist sites.
Since 2018, airport signage has been translated into Mandarin and a dedicated welcome booth is available in each terminal with an interactive Mandarin-only display point.
Dominique Thillaud, chairman of the Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur board, commented, “To perfect our welcome of Chinese visitors arriving in Europe for the first time, we felt it was vitally important to improve our communication, and make their journey as fluid as possible.
“Lagardère Travel Retail France’s adoption of WeChat Pay is an additional step that shows that Nice Côte d’Azur airport is now fully ready to welcome Chinese passengers arriving directly from China.”
