BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Mobile payment has overtaken cash for the first time among Chinese tourists traveling overseas, according to a report by global measurement and data analytics company Nielsen.

The "2018 trends of Chinese mobile payment in outbound tourism," jointly released by Alipay, China's leading online payment platform, said outbound Chinese tourists continue to embrace mobile payment while overseas merchants enjoy the benefits of wider adoption.

Surveying more than 2,800 Chinese travelers and over 1,200 overseas merchants, the report concludes that the average budget for Chinese tourists traveling abroad has increased.

On their most recent overseas trips, Chinese tourists paid for 32 percent of transactions using mobile payment, overtaking cash for the first time, it said.

In addition to serving Chinese tourists, Chinese mobile payment methods also help boost the operations of overseas merchants. Nearly 60 percent of surveyed merchants saw growth in both foot traffic and revenue, according to the report.

The findings provide a new perspective on the dynamics of China's ever-changing consumer market, at a time when Chinese tourists are increasingly traveling the world, and their spending and choices become more influential, it said.