UPI paving the way for seamless digital payment experience for foreign travelers

Indiarsquos emerging fintech landscape has been a gamechanger for the way people transact in the countryWith the increased use of digital payments the country has graciously welcomed the wave of UPI Unified Payments Interface becoming a global leader in instant payments Recent facts state ndash that India alone accounted for 40 percent of the total digital transactions globally in 2021 paving the way for a cashless economyHaving said that India being culturally diversified is recognised for its rich heritage that attracts millions of tourists every year and serves as a catalyst for the booming economy However the burgeoning tourism sector comes along with increasing hassles of making payments for foreign nationals arriving as tourists in the country Owing to the universality of the groundbreaking payment system ndash UPI foreign nationals are striving toward a cashless and more inclusive payment systemChallenges stagnating the influx of foreign touristsThe tourism industry in India is experiencing an upsurge with Foreign Tourist Arrivals FTAs reaching 619 million in 2022 a substantial increase from the 152 million recorded during the corresponding period in 2021 However several routine challenges inhibit foreign tourists from making digital payments in the country with easeOne of the biggest hassles that affect them is making payments in local currency and cash dependency Until February 2023 UPI was not available to foreign tourists arriving in India and their cash dependency and currency exchange hampered their travel experience as they had to be more cautious in exchanging money to avoid unfavourable rates and feesAdditionally the lack of adequate access to financial tools in India cultivates negative impressions in the minds of foreign tourists For instance credit and debit cards are widely accepted in larger cities and tourist destinations however some places still only accept cash Certain types of cards may not be accepted and international transaction fees levied on such transactions can pose a major inconvenienceMoreover tourists also face difficulties finding ATMs that accept foreign cards especially in remote or rural areas Several times ATMs also run out of cash or have withdrawal limits which can hamper their travel experience UPI augmenting financial inclusivity UPI payments are propelling the nation towards digital paymentsToday the scanandpay system is available for all kinds of transactions ndash from a local tea vendor to a luxury retail outlet Its simplified payment procedure has brought ease in payments for foreign tourists enabling businesses to enhance their financial payment infrastructure while creating more avenues for tourists to make transactionsAs UPI is penetrating deeper into geographies and inclusivity it is rapidly gaining momentum to revolutionise residents and tourists conduct transactions The seamless payment infrastructure enables users to make transactions from multiple linked bank accounts on a single mobile application of thirdparty app providers anywhere at any time The ease of UPI has bridged several gaps in financial accessibility universality and inclusivity across the countryRBIrsquos intervention As a relief to foreign travellers in India the Reserve Bank of India RBI has introduced a policy to bring ease in making local payments The announcement comes as a gamechanger for the tourism sector as foreign travellers as well as NRIs can experience hasslefree payments via UPI at over five crore merchant outlets in the countryAs India takes on the role of hosting the G20 summit UPI has garnered significant attention within the country among international travelers Under this provision the RBI has granted permission for global travelers to enroll in the PPI system using their international phone numbers They can complete the KYC process using their passport and visa information which then allows them to become fully integrated into the UPI framework Once onboarded they have the capability to directly add funds to their prepaid UPI wallet and make purchasesThe NPCI has extended this facility to all G20 nations including the United States Germany Australia the United Kingdom Russia France Italy Canada and others The rise of UPI and its increased accessibility has simplified the user experience for foreign tourists enabling them to transact effortlessly during their stay Several fintechs are putting their step forward in Indias quest for a digitally driven fintech landscape From residents to nonresidents India is making UPI ndash the largest instant payment network with crossborder experiencesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever