Tourism Toronto has announced a new strategic partnership with OTT Financial Group that introduces the Chinese mobile payment service WeChat Pay at local tourism businesses to boost travel and shopping transactions by Chinese travelers, according to a press release.

 

WeChat is China's largest mobile messenger app with 840 million active users who can use the app to buy products and book travel. OTT is working with Tourism Toronto to set up the mobile payment infrastructure, making it the first partnership of its kind in Canada, according to the announcement.

 

"We are thrilled to partner with OTT," Johanne Belanger, president and CEO of Tourism Toronto, said in a statement. "Our partnership will allow us to strengthen our role as a global leader in innovation among the Chinese market."

 

China is the largest overseas tourism market for Toronto, which has almost tripled since 2010. In 2016, Toronto saw more than 300,000 visitors, who spent an estimated $275 million in the region.

 

"We are very excited to be working with Toronto Tourism," Kevin Zhang, president and CEO of OTT Financial, said in a statement. "Toronto is such a welcoming city for Chinese immigrants, travellers and students, it's only natural for it to be at the forefront of bringing the WeChat Pay platform to Canada. Through our partnership with Toronto Tourism, OTT will help Toronto increase its engagement and commerce with Chinese travelers by helping promote its brand, attractions and services the great city has to offer."