Prouds and UnionPay join forces as Chinese card provider’s ‘Global Airport’ campaign gains momentum

FIJI.  The Motibhai Group-owned Prouds and Jewellery Galleria outlets at Nadi International Airport in Fiji are offering a -5% discount on all purchases made using UnionPay cards.

The promotion, launched last month by the Chinese bank card provider, is part of a ‘Global Airport’ campaign* by UnionPay to encourage sales, services and special offers at over 100 airports worldwide. The campaign, which runs until 28 February 2018, covers more than 30 countries and regions.

UnionPay is the most popular card globally, with over 5.5 billion cards issued worldwide. UnionPay cards are accepted in 160 countries and regions, covering over 34 million merchants and two million ATMs.

Prouds Duty Free Stores Manager Ashwin Chand said that customers travelling to and from Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea through Nadi International Airport have reacted to the promotion positively.

“The response from this new promotion has been overwhelming since it was launched last month and we look forward to building up the momentum on this offer in the coming weeks,” Chand said.

UnionPay International South Pacific Senior Business Development Manager Clifton Gough said the company is honoured to join forces with Prouds as part of the global campaign.

“This year`s promotion is launched at a time when we are seeing a surge of tourists from mainland China, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore visiting Fiji,” Gough said.

Gough said the -5% discount offer is being communicated to cardholders via multiple channels. These include direct reach to customers via their banks; promotion through the top three travel agencies in China, including Ctrip, and seven regional travel agencies; the Air China and China Eastern Airlines inflight magazines; and through newspapers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong. Critically, social media channels such as Tencent, WeChat and Sina Weibo key opinion leaders (KOL) are being used to spread information and interest through Twitter, Line (a Chinese messenger service) and WeChat Interactive.

“The strengthening acceptance of UnionPay cards in Fiji solidifies the importance of this partnership, making it timely and will generate an even more attractive shopping experience at Nadi International Airport,” Gough said.

*ABOUT THE UNIONPAY CAMPAIGN

The Global Airport campaign this year is UnionPay’s most extensive promotion in the airport sector. The participating airports are not only in traditionally popular tourist destinations such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, Australia and the Middle East, but also include Mactan-Cebu International Airport in the Philippines; Plaisance International Airport in Mauritius and Nadi International Airport in Fiji.

The campaign covers more types of merchants and provides value-added services. UnionPay International is offering exclusive discounts at airport restaurants, bookstores and gift shops plus privileges such as VIP lounge access, airport shuttle bus service, car rental benefits and tax refunds.

Exclusive privileges of mobile QuickPass and U Plan are also available. Special offers for UnionPay mobile QuickPass have been launched in the China Corner at Melbourne Airport; Relay at Auckland Airport and food streets at five airports in Taiwan. King Power International (Thailand), JR Duty Free (eight airports in Australia and New Zealand); and Travel Pharm in New Zealand are all offering discounts to U Plan users. Cardholders can also obtain U Plan (UnionPay’s cross-border marketing platform) coupons via the mobile app of UnionPay international and its cooperative banks and travel agencies.

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