PayMaya widens ecosystem in Boracay

MANILA, Philippines — PayMaya Philippines, the digital payments arm of PLDT’s Voyager Innovations Inc., has established a mobile-based cashless ecosystem in Boracay as part of efforts to helping boost the tourism industry.

The company has made available PayMaya QR, which allows visitors in the island to pay using only their mobile phones in hundreds of merchants ranging from food establishments, hotel sand accommodations, merchandise, micro-sellers, and even transportation.

“As we’ve noted early this year, PayMaya is increasingly becoming the preferred mode of payment for travelers. But it’s not just for booking their travel necessities online–increasingly, they are able to use PayMaya in many local destinations including Boracay, where it makes better sense to handle less cash when paying for their items,” said Paolo Azzola, chief operating officer and managing director at PayMaya.

PayMaya said it is now the preferred payment option in some Boracay establishments where users can pay using their app via PayMaya QR,

 The initial batch of merchants that have been offering PayMaya QR as a payment method in Boracay was launched in January.

The initiative is seen to further boost the tourism industry and the local economy in Boracay, which was recently re-opened following a six-month closure for rehabilitation by the government.

It also follows PayMaya’s establishment of similar “cashless communities” across the country, including La Union, Baguio, Cebu and General Santos.

For Boracay, PayMaya said visitors could add money to their accounts through specially-designated Add Money kiosks around the island, as well as via Palawan Express branches within Boracay.

Additionally, they can add money to their accounts even before flying to Boracay through their online banking accounts via Instapay.

PayMaya is the digital financial arm of Voyager Innovations, the leading technology company in the Philippines backed by PLDT, KKR, Tencent, IFC, and IFC Emerging Asia Fund.