BML, WeChat Pay, and Visit Maldives partner to advance digital payments in tourism sector

The Bank of Maldives (BML) on Tuesday executed two agreements with Weixin Pay – popularly known as WeChat Pay - and the Visit Maldives Corporation, to advance digital payment solutions and fostering the growth of the Maldivian tourism sector.

The first of the agreements is a tripartite MOU between BML, Weixin Pay, and Visit Maldives that establishes a foundation for strategic collaboration aimed at enhancing tourism in the Maldives.

According to BML, the partnership seeks to explore opportunities in marketing, visitor engagement, digital initiatives, and other joint activities, supporting tourism development while ensuring an enriched and seamless experience for Chinese visitors. 

The second agreement is a partnership deal between BML and Weixin Pay to explore innovative payment technologies, including palm recognition and seamless payment to enhance accessibility, interoperability, and the overall payment experience for Maldivian customers and merchants. 

During Tuesday’s event, BML and Weixin Pay hosted a dedicated Weixin Pay Ecosystem Sharing Session for leading Maldivian resorts, focused on enhancing engagement with the country’s largest inbound tourism market.

The session showcased how resorts can leverage the Weixin Pay ecosystem to deliver seamless services, improve digital payment acceptance, and elevate the guest experience for Chinese visitors.

BML’s CEO and Managing Director Mohamed Shareef voiced pride at the partnership.

“We are proud to partner with Weixin Pay and Visit Maldives to deliver innovative and secure payment solutions for tourists and merchants,” he said.

“Through technologies like biometric and seamless payments, we will be enhancing payment experiences, supporting tourism growth, and empowering our merchants to meet the expectations of international visitors.” 

The BML supports payment processing across all major credit and debit card networks as well as leading digital wallets. Through its Merchant Portal and mPOS App, BML equips merchants with a comprehensive online payment solution, offering the ability to generate real-time payment requests, monitor transactions efficiently, and manage online store operations seamlessly.