Heinemann is the market leader in Europe and the only family-owned company among the global players in the duty-free sector. Following the launch in Germany, the solution is to be rolled out at 12 other European airports and then globally.

Raoul Spanger, Executive Director Retail & HR Gebr. Heinemann: "Chinese tourists are becoming an increasingly important target group worldwide. We are pleased to now be able to offer our Chinese guests their domestic mobile payment methods thanks to Wirecard. Through the marketing platforms provided by Alipay, for example, we will be able to provide them with personalized offers for our range of products before they leave.

Christian Reindl, Executive Vice President Sales Consumer Goods at Wirecard: "Chinese consumers now expect retailers worldwide to offer them familiar payment experiences. We are therefore pleased to have won Gebr. Heinemann as a new customer, with whom we are planning to jointly shape the digitization of payment processes.”

Shopping for luxury and international branded goods is a particularly popular activity among Chinese tourists and an integral part of their holidays. Heinemann’s Duty Free and Travel Value Shops are a popular destination for travelers from China. By accepting Chinese payment methods, the trading house is now gaining a young, online-affine and financially strong target group.

The fact that it is worthwhile for European merchants to respond to the payment habits of Chinese tourists can be seen in the experience of other Wirecard customers, for whom the introduction of the new payment methods has almost quadrupled sales from Chinese tourists within the space of 12 months.