Business
Over 100,000 customers aboard Q+ Payment app
The Q+ Payment App, Sri Lanka’s first QR-based payment application to be launched under LANKAQR, has surpassed the 100,000 registered customers milestone, doubling its customer base in just five months, the app’s owner the Commercial Bank of Ceylon has announced.
The fastest growing QR app in the country, Q+ Payment App has an easy self-registration process, and is well received by customers owing to the convenience and security it offers them in cashless payment processing when they pay for purchases by scanning QR codes via mobile phones or via the in-app bill payment facility, the Bank said.
Designed as a hassle-free payment alternative for cardholders and vendors, the app gained popularity via a series of Bank-driven promotions in collaboration with popular local retailers and due to its participation in a number of Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) led ‘රටපුරාම LANKAQR’ programs held across the country.
Positioned as the next dimension of payment options, the Q+ Payment App enables cardholders to pay for purchases via their mobile phones simply by scanning the merchant’s QR code. Since the launch, the app underwent several functionality-enhancing upgrades including biometric authentication login for both the consumer and merchant applications, an ‘In-App Bill Payments’ feature that allows customers connected to the Bank’s Debit, Credit or Prepaid cards to pay bills instantly, the facility to promptly settle Credit Card outstanding and top-up Pre-paid Cards, and most recently, the addition of an ‘Online Pay’ feature which enables customers to pay for online purchases by entering their mobile numbers in merchant websites and apps that have ‘Q+ Payment App’ as a payment option.
The ‘In-App Payments’ feature enables Q+ Payment App customers to make payments in many categories such as data reloads, prepaid and post-paid mobiles, fixed telephone lines, water and electricity (CEB and LECO) and pay-TV bills.
The dynamic and interactive customer experience and convenience the app offers are the driving forces behind its popularity, the Bank said. By binding their cards to the Q+ Payment App, ComBank cardholders avoid pulling out the card from their wallets which prevents card losses and card theft. This also encourages the use of environment friendly, paperless-banking features such as Digital receipts and in-App alerts. Payments done using Q+ Payment App require authentication using a static PIN which ensures the safety and security of transactions, making the Q+ Payment App more secure than a normal card.
Customers can add their ComBank Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay cards to the Q+ Payment App, enabling them to perform LankaQR, mVisa, and Mastercard QR transactions. A maximum of five cards can be added to the app. Q+ Payment App is the only payment app in Sri Lanka that supports LankaQR, mVisa, and Mastercard QR transactions. Moreover, the Q+ Payment App is certified for use at overseas QR merchants through the Visa and MasterCard networks.
Addressing the 58th Annual General Meeting of The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) held on Monday (27) at Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, President Ranil Wickremesinghe outlined a comprehensive strategy to propel the country’s tourism sector to new heights. Focused on surpassing the target of 5 million tourists and redefining traditional approaches, the President’s vision extends to achieving 7.5 million visitors in the coming years. The President emphasized the need for innovative thinking and collaboration within the industry to ensure sustainable growth.
“When I took over the government, I realized that sustainability alone is not sufficient. How are we going to earn foreign exchange? How are we going to have a positive balance of trade? In that, there were many suggestions. But what is the low-hanging fruit? And one of the low-hanging fruits was tourism. Let’s promote tourism fully,” President Wickremesinghe declared.
The President acknowledged the need to move beyond the existing framework and embrace competition to elevate Sri Lanka’s standing in the global tourism market. Drawing parallels with countries like Vietnam, he questioned why they had more tourists despite being in the industry for a shorter period. President Wickremesinghe stressed the importance of increasing the number of tourists to 2.5 million in the upcoming year and subsequently expanding on this figure.
(PMD)
Business
Free visas for nationals of China, India, Indonesia, Russsia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan from Monday (27)
The Controller General of Immigration and Emigration has stated that nationals of China, India, Indonesia, Russsia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan will be granted free visas from Monday 27-11-2023 to 31-03-2024 as a pilot program to rebuild the tourism industry.
Nationals of the above nominated countries possessing, Diplomatic, Official, Public Affairs, Services and Ordinary Passports are eligible to enjoy a visa free regime under this scheme.
The above mentioned nationals should apply for Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arriving in Sri Lanka subject to granting / issuing free of charge up to 31-03-2024.
Under this scheme tourists can enjoy a 30 days free visa period and a double entry facility is permitted within 30 days from the date of first arrival in Sri Lanka.
Free ETA under this scheme can be applied up to 31-03-2024.
The free ETA cannot be extended further and is limited only to thirty (30) days. In case the free ETA period of 30 days expires after 31-03-2024, an extension of visa could be applied subject to paying the appropriate fee.
The Minister of Economy and Planning for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Faisal F. Alibrahim, met with President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday (27) at the Presidential Secretariat.
During the discussions, Minister Faisal F. Alibrahim emphasized Saudi Arabia’s keen interest in strengthening economic ties with Sri Lanka across various sectors, including apparels and tourism. He elucidated that his government was focused on expanding economic relations within the region and regarded Sri Lanka with significant importance.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe welcomed the Minister’s comments, asserting that Sri Lanka is actively promoting enhanced cooperation in Asia, including West Asia. He further highlighted that the tourism and agriculture sectors were areas open to greater investment, as the country is committed to modernizing these domains.
(PMD)
President outlines a bold vision for Sri Lanka tourism at THASL’s 58th AGM
Free visas for nationals of China, India, Indonesia, Russsia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan from Monday (27)
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