Sandton shopping spree for UnionPay cardholders

The aim of the campaign is to incentivise UnionPay cardholders to use their cards (card number starting with 62) when making purchases in South Africa by way of offering substantial discounts to them for merchants in Sandton and surrounds.

According to a recent study by InterContinental Hotels (ICH) and Oxford University, South Africa ranks as one of the top countries in the world for spending by Chinese travellers, with the number of travellers growing by 122% to 151,000 over the three years to 2013. The study estimates that Chinese visitors to South Africa will spend $1.5 billion (R18.6 billion) by 2017.

UnionPay card acceptance has been enabled in 45 African countries. In South Africa, half of ATMs and 40% of merchants accept UnionPay cards. All the merchants with an FNB or Standard Bank POS terminal are able to accept UnionPay cards. Plans are underway to roll out to the other major banks in the near future.

Merchants from different sectors were approached to participate in the campaign programme. The requirement was for each merchant to provide an incentive offer to UnionPay cardholders enjoying more convenient and preferential shopping experience. Participating merchants include hotel groups, a tour operator and retailers offering curios, gold, jewellery, diamonds, fashion brands and health products. Many merchants are excited to have a reputable channel through which to reach the Chinese market.

"This is the first campaign we are launching at Sandton City Shopping Centre, which provids UnionPay cardholders with more preferential payment experience," said Li ZhiXian, UnionPay International Africa General Manager. "This is a fantastic opportunity for any merchant to accept UnionPay cards, who would like to tap into the real potential of Chinese spending power, maximising sales by accepting UnionPay cards. This is a win-win cooperation," he added.

• Hotels: City Lodge Hotel Group, Faircity Group, Legacy Hotels, The Capital Hotel Group
  
• Tour Operator: Loyz Holiday
  
• Curios: African Origins, Jacana
  
• Gold, Jewellery and Diamonds: The Scoin Shop, Africa's Diamond House, Schwartz 1924 Art & Jewellery, Shimansky
  
• Fashion brands: Jimmy Choo, Luminance Pop-Up
  
• Health products: The Nutri-Balance Centre

"We are happy to be part of this special offer to UnionPay cardholders and hope that Chinese guests will enjoy staying at our hotels," said Peter Schoeman, Divisional Director, Sales and Marketing, City Lodge Hotel Group.

Jaco Steyn-Venter, General Manager of the Faircity Quatermain and Falstaff hotels, said, "We look forward to welcoming UnionPay cardholders while they explore our beautiful country and shop up a storm. We offer complimentary shuttles within the Sandton area and a tranquil retreat at the end of a busy day."

"The Capital Hotel Group is the perfect base for shopping in Sandton City, offering complimentary scheduled shuttles to the mall. We are pleased to partner with UnionPay and look forward to having their cardholders stay in our spacious hotel rooms and apartments," explained Gillian Kapotwe, Marketing Manager of The Capital Hotel Group.

Karen Loy-Min, Owner of tour and activity company Loyz Holiday, is excited to welcome Chinese visitors to sunny South Africa. She said, "My team looks forward to showcasing this beautiful country and creating memorable experiences for our guests."

"As market leaders, we are thrilled to partner with UnionPay International to provide their cardholders the ability to start their journey with gold at our Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square stores. We look forward to seeing them in our stores soon," said Andre van der Berg, Group Sales Executive at The Scoin Shop.

"Schwartz Art and Jewellery offers a beautiful selection of handmade gold and diamond African-themed jewellery. We look forward to welcoming UnionPay cardholders to our showroom, so they can take a piece of Africa back home with them," said Robert Schwartz, Owner of Schwartz Art and Jewellery.

Juliet Byrne, Owner of The Nutri-Balance Centre, said, "We welcome Chinese visitors and assure them of the best quality brand products, excellent professional service and health advice in a safe and beautiful environment."

About UnionPay International
UnionPay International (UPI) is a subsidiary of China UnionPay focused on the growth and support of UnionPay's global business. In partnership with more than 300 institutions worldwide, UnionPay International has enabled card acceptance in over 150 countries and regions with issuance in 40 countries and regions. UnionPay International provides high quality, cost effective and secure cross-border payment services to the world's largest cardholder base and ensures convenient local services to a growing number of global UnionPay cardholders and merchants.

Website: www.unionpayintl.com

Contact Details
UnionPay International - Africa Branch
Office: +27 (0)10 286 0199
Email: moc.ltniyapnoinu@acirfa