An interactive citywide treasure hunt and prize draw event is now underway in Qingdao. The "2026 Happy Shopping Qingdao - Tap to Toast the World" consumption season was officially launched on July 15th.
The centerpiece of the event is the "Tap for Treasure Citywide Hunt." During the beer festival period, over 30 interactive "Tap" points have been set up across the city. These locations include historical and cultural districts, popular restaurants, beaches, cultural and creative shops, and subway entrances. By tapping their devices at these points, consumers can instantly draw surprise rewards. Prizes include a 188 yuan red envelope, "Toast for Luck" beer vouchers, "Happy Journey" beer discount coupons, and a pass for 100 discounted bus or metro rides. The top prize is the "Encounter the Koi" jackpot worth 999 yuan.
The event has allocated 30 million yuan in consumer funds across the city. It features a dual incentive system: users can collect surprise vouchers by tapping to check in via Alipay, and then receive instant discounts or even free items when they use the "Tap to Pay" function for purchases. Every Friday during the beer festival, exclusive additional coupons will be released, offering discounts of up to 5 yuan per tap, ensuring weekly surprises for both residents and tourists throughout the event.
Citizens and visitors can access a vast array of benefits by searching "Encounter Qingdao" on the Alipay app. An official from the Qingdao Municipal Commerce Bureau stated that this initiative is a key part of promoting and enhancing the "Happy Shopping Qingdao" brand. The convenient "Tap" interaction is designed to deliver consumption benefits directly to the public, effectively stimulating the summer consumer market in Qingdao.
Adding to the festivities, 100 of Qingdao's most popular commercial districts, as recognized by Alipay, were simultaneously announced. This effort, organized by the Qingdao Municipal Commerce Bureau with Alipay, represents a significant step in digitally upgrading neighborhoods as part of building convenient 15-minute community living circles. The initial list includes 100 distinctive districts covering the city's core commercial areas.
During the event period, these districts will collaborate with 20,000 Alipay-supported merchants, 50 chain restaurant brands, and 20 local retail brands to offer stacked promotions. These include instant discounts on Qingdao quality products via "Tap to Pay" and special dining coupon days. Consumers tapping to check in or pay within these popular districts can also receive exclusive vouchers and discounts from local brands like Qingdao Brewery Co., Ltd. and Qinpai Dairy.
Marking another highlight, the nation's first "Langlang Bus - Hip Beer Bus" made its debut. Two specially decorated buses, themed around beer and coffee, have begun operating along the Qingdao coastline. The buses are adorned with beer-themed elements and have been transformed into mobile beer experience spaces, complete with dedicated "Tap" check-in counters and fresh beer taps.
Passengers who purchase a ticket can receive a complimentary fresh beer and can also tap to check in for additional surprise rewards. Complementing this, interactive display windows have been installed on 2,500 city buses, extending the "Tap" experience from the coastline to every corner of the city. Furthermore, Alipay Travel has created a special "100-Trip Discount" gift package for the Qingdao Beer Festival.
Li Shubin, General Manager of Ant Group's Strategic Development Department in Shandong, commented that Qingdao is both a coastal city and a beer city. The combination of "Tap" technology and the beer festival aims to use digital innovation to make toasting simpler and shopping more exciting. Alipay will leverage its platform's technical strengths to leave behind a "Tap" payment infrastructure and operational expertise for managing popular commercial districts in Qingdao. While the event will eventually conclude, these enhanced capabilities will remain, he noted.
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