Amap rolls out global Chinese-language ride-hailing services with overseas tourism authorities

Alibaba-backed mapping platform Amap is taking its homegrown ride-hailing experience global, launching a Chinese-language travel initiative across more than 1,000 overseas cities.

The company — together with tourism authorities from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Austria, France, and several other destinations — unveiled its program on Friday, aiming to make Chinese-language mobility services a standard feature for Chinese travelers abroad.

The launch comes as China's outbound travel accelerates following the recovery of international tourism, while destinations around the world compete to attract Chinese visitors.

"For Chinese travelers, ordering a ride overseas has often meant downloading unfamiliar local apps, navigating foreign languages and figuring out new payment methods," Li Xinhua, general manager of Amap's ride-hailing business, said. "Our goal is to make travel feel as seamless abroad as it does at home."

Instead of switching between multiple local platforms, users can now book taxis, airport transfers, and chartered vehicles directly through the Amap app using an entirely Chinese-language interface.

The service includes real-time in-app translation for conversations with drivers, payment through Alipay or WeChat Pay, and 24-hour Chinese-language customer support.

The platform has already expanded to more than 1,000 cities worldwide, according to the company.

To coincide with the summer travel season, Amap also launched promotional offers, including overseas taxi rides starting from $1, discounted airport transfers, and chartered vehicle services.

Tourism agencies participating in the initiative said localized digital services could help lower barriers for Chinese travelers.

Lee Thai Hung, deputy director-general of the Tourism Malaysia Promotion Board, said Chinese visitors can now book rides in Malaysia using their native language without downloading another application, removing both language and payment barriers.