Philippines – The Department of Tourism (DOT) and GCash operator G-Xchange Inc. (GXI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote cashless payments among tourists and DOT-accredited micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The agreement was signed on 3 November, Philstar.com reported.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay and Assistant Secretary for Branding and Marketing Communications Armand Lorenze Sapitan signed for the DOT. GCash for Business General Manager Paul Albano and GCash International Vice President and International Payments Head Juan Carlos “Caloy” Bauza signed for the company.
The MOU sets a framework for joint campaigns, merchant onboarding and financial literacy initiatives in support of Philippine tourism. Local merchants will receive digital payment tools and training so they can serve visitors more conveniently.
The partners say the move reflects changing traveller habits, as mobile payments become more common worldwide and visitors increasingly expect to pay by phone. They add that the shift matters most in remote destinations, where money changers may be far away or nonexistent.
The initiative will also allow local businesses to accept a wider range of payment methods, including supported foreign-issued cards. According to the partners, this should give international visitors greater convenience while helping merchants capture tourism-driven spending.
“Visitors already want to pay digitally, and our accredited enterprises should be ready for them. From homestay hosts to market vendors and local artisans, these are the people who make a destination lively enough to be worth visiting,” Secretary Angara-Mathay said. “This partnership with GCash gives them the tools and the training to accept digital payments, so more of what tourists spend stays in local communities.
“The DOT will do its part by endorsing and actively promoting the onboarding of our accredited MSMEs, consistent with our Love the Philippines and Discover More to Love campaigns,” she added.
Under the MOU, the DOT will provide guidelines on the proper branding of its marketing campaigns and give GCash access to its digital assets for co-branded efforts. It will also supply relevant tourist arrival data.
The department will further share lists of accredited entities for outreach and merchant verification, subject to data privacy laws. In addition, it will invite GCash to its events and trade activities where merchants may be onboarded, and coordinate with relevant offices, particularly its regional offices.
For its part, GCash will organise co-branded campaigns in support of the DOT’s tourism advocacy and streamline the onboarding of accredited MSMEs. It will also provide merchant incentives, customised digital payment toolkits and promotional support to drive cashless transactions across key tourism destinations.
GCash will additionally facilitate financial literacy training for MSMEs and share insights on campaign performance and consumer trends. Moreover, it will work with the DOT on tourism product development projects that support local artisans and other creative enterprises among the accredited MSMEs.
The company will onboard the accredited merchants to GCash for Business and equip participating businesses with payment acceptance solutions. According to GCash, registration requires only a verified GCash account, which allows small businesses to access digital payment facilities without the complexities of traditional banking.
Albano linked the partnership to the company’s financial inclusion goals.
“At GCash, our mission of ‘Finance for All’ means ensuring that every Filipino, including every single micro and small merchant who brings our local tourism destinations to life, can thrive in the digital economy. Through this partnership, we are boosting the Philippine tourism sector by connecting even the smallest local businesses to more tourists, both local and international, and giving them the tools to benefit from global tourism opportunities,” Albano said.
The announcement comes as tourism remains a significant part of the economy. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the sector contributed over P2.27 trillion in 2025, or 8.1% of gross domestic product (GDP), and supported 7.7 million jobs.
By equipping accredited MSMEs to accept digital payments, the partnership aims to help more of that spending reach local communities.
