Paris Aéroport joins forces with Tencent to provide a better welcome to Chinese customers

To address Chinese customers directly and thus become an essential part of their journey planning, Paris Aéroport has joined forces with the Chinese Internet company Tencent through the pioneer application Weixin (WeChat). A sister product of WeChat, Weixin targets Chinese domestic users, and together, the platform had 846millions monthly active users globally as of the third quarter of 2016.
 
Passengers are able to access a range of services by following Paris Aéroport’s Official Account on WeChat (WeChat ID: ADP-WECHAT), such as checking flight information, airport service introduction, and tourist guidance.

Paris Aéroport's innovation for a warmer welcome to Chinese travellers An initial trial, currently being carried out in Parisian airports to mark the Chinese New Year, allows Paris Aéroport to welcome Chinese travellers and wish them a happy new year on Weixin as soon as they arrive at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport. Paris Aéroport also provides dedicated and exclusive services and offers for these customers. The trial is being carried out in conjunction with Havas Media.
 
"Groupe ADP is a leading player and driving force in the field of innovation. Through our investments, partnerships and discussions with a range of innovative startups, SMEs, and global companies, we are currently carrying out more than 25 trials at airports in Paris. France needs innovation in tourism to face up to its competitors and grow its market share to withstand global competition," said Augustin de Romanet, CEO of Groupe ADP.
 
The trial will be extended in the near future. By the end of the first quarter of 2017, with the assistance of telecoms operator and Groupe ADP subsidiary HubOne, Chinese passengers will be given a simple way of accessing the airport's free Wi-Fi using Weixin.
 
In 2016, Paris's airports welcomed over 1.9 million passengers travelling to or from mainland China, a 3% increase on 2015 figures. Between 2010 and 2016, the number of passengers on the mainland China route increased by 72%.
 

Until mid-February, all passengers travelling from China will be invited to scan a Weixin QR code displayed in the walkways and baggage reclaim areas at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, revealing exclusive dedicated content on the application. They will receive a welcome message and a greeting card wishing them a happy year of the Fire Rooster. The innovation lies in the fact that passengers have the opportunity to discover exclusive offers and add them directly in the Weixin Card Pack, which they can then use at the checkout in airport shops.