Singapore-based mixed reality and AI company, BuzzAR, welcomes Romeo Sun as their new Co-Founder and Payment Head and launches BuzzPay on 11 November.
Romeo comes with operator experience as Ex Alibaba, Ex Lazada and Ex Stripe, leading the growth strategies for these companies and will be a strong addition to the original duo, Bell Beh and Ken Lim, forming a strong team to skyrocket the hyper growth in the intersection of AI, tourism and cross border fintech.
BuzzPay is their AI-powered fintech solution that works hand-in-hand with their AI tour guide BAE (Buzz AI Experience). Following the collaboration between BuzzAR and leading Saudi Arabian government agencies such as Saudi Tourism Authority, BuzzPay is poised to be one of the key hospitality technologies to look out for. It aims to fully digitalise the MENA tourism digital and payment experience for 1 million travellers especially from Asia, bringing 3.2 billion USD to Saudi Arabia by 2026.
BuzzAR has made waves with their mixed-reality solutions in the travel industry, with successful projects across different regions and government agencies such as the Singapore Land Authority, and the Saudi Tourism Authority. Their experience and foresight led to the development of BAE, the world’s first AI travel companion launched in April this year.
Riding on the momentum, BuzzPay is the company’s latest development, an AI-powered fintech solution that works seamlessly with BAE. BuzzPay welcomes Romeo to expand and grow BuzzPay as the company’s exciting new fintech vertical. Romeo has a wealth of experience in building the infrastructure of digital payments, work prior working experiences in Alibaba, Stripe, and Lazada. He was also part of the leadership team at Alibaba leading the one of first batches of talents that successfully expanded the organisation to the global market.
BAE is trained in each territory's cultural and tourist nuances, relates to the user's mood and emotions, and offers optimal travel plans and bookings for services that users can pay directly through BuzzPay. With the rapid user acquisition rate, BuzzPay is projected to be used by 1 million travellers by 2026, bringing in 3.2 billion USD.
Romeo sees BuzzPay as the ideal intersection connecting travel, AI, and fintech. “I'm thrilled to celebrate 11.11 by reaffirming our commitment to enhancing travel across the MENA region through seamless, accessible, and innovative payment solutions. Our mission at BuzzPay is to empower individuals to explore new destinations with ease, freedom, and confidence, removing financial barriers and creating meaningful connections between cultures. We aim to inspire journeys that bring people closer to each other and the world, making the experience of travel both joyful and effortless for everyone in the region and beyond.” Says Romeo.
BuzzAR is confident that BuzzPay’s adoption and seamless cross-border financial transaction capabilities can make it the leading digital payment provider in MENA, and plans for Saudi Arabia to be the headquarters in the region.
BuzzAR’s direction in digitalising the travel industry through AI and fintech has inspired greater confidence from early investors, who believe the company’s potential to be a major player in the travel industry. “BuzzAR’s commitment to digitalising the Saudi Arabian hospitality industry through BuzzPay is a game changer. We are impressed with their track record in finding success in other markets as the ideal hospitality tech partner for companies and governments. I expect them to scale rapidly in other territories as they make their mark in the MENA region.” says Ian Wilson, CEO of Wilson Innovation Lab, ex-head of Non-Gaming Operations at Marina Bay Sands and BuzzAR’s first angel investor.
BuzzAR plans to expand BAE’s capabilities to become an end-to-end digital platform connecting travellers and hospitality service providers. 150 million tourists are targeted for 2030 and Saudi Arabia is facing a shortage of registered tour guides. Developments for BAE to be a digital framework empowering tour guides are ongoing, including capabilities for tour guides to create their AI digital twin on the platform to transact and earn for them.