SHANGHAI, July 29, 2024 — With international air travel capacity and visa-free policies rebounding, China and Europe’s tourism cooperation has surged this year, fueling a rapid increase in cross-border payment demands.

Currently, UnionPay cards are accepted at more than 80 percent of European merchants’ point-of-sale terminals, providing seamless payment experiences in popular summer destinations like France, the United Kingdom, and Italy.

During the summer vacation season, numerous department stores and shopping villages across Europe have introduced exclusive offers for UnionPay cardholders. Additionally, 20 countries including France and the United Kingdom have implemented UnionPay exchange rate discounts, making payments both convenient and cost-effective.

Europe is a popular summer destination for Chinese tourists, with over 90 percent of countries and regions in the region offering UnionPay services.

The overall acceptance rate of UnionPay at merchants’ point-of-sale terminals exceeds 80 percent in Europe, with over 6 million terminals supporting UnionPay mobile contactless payments.

Furthermore, an increasing number of European merchants have begun accepting UnionPay QR code payments. Tourists can conveniently choose to pay with their cards, scan QR codes, or utilize mobile payment methods based on their preferences while traveling in the region.

Building upon its extensive service coverage, UnionPay International has been tailoring its payment offerings to meet the needs of outbound tourists, continuously expanding payment scenarios across various sectors including dining, accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, entertainment, and shopping.

In the transportation sector, which is particularly relevant for independent travelers, over 90 international airlines, as well as online travel agencies like Trip.com, have enabled UnionPay card payment on their official websites and platforms.

Additionally, tourists can conveniently use UnionPay cards for local or intercity transportation to visit attractions in countries like Spain and Italy, facilitating the seamless arrangement of travel itineraries.

Recently, UnionPay International has launched a summer consumption promotional campaign specifically targeted at outbound tourists, with a focus on Europe, offering multiple benefits.

Exclusive discounts have been introduced for UnionPay cardholders at renowned department stores like Harrods in the UK, Galeries Lafayette, Printemps and Samaritaine in France, Rinascente in Italy, El Corte Inglés in Spain, and nearly 20 shopping villages.

Moreover, tourists visiting 20 European countries including France and the UK can enjoy favorable UnionPay exchange rates for offline transactions. Several domestic banks also offer exclusive cashback or instant discounts for UnionPay cardholders.

Furthermore, tourists can utilize UnionPay cards or the UnionPay app to conveniently access tax refund services based on the UnionPay network at local merchants.

The payment experience for European tourists visiting China has been continuously enhanced. Since the beginning of this year, UnionPay International has launched Project Excellence 2024, collaborating with various stakeholders to improve payment convenience for foreign visitors in China.

Tourists from over 10 European countries, including Spain and Serbia, can now use UnionPay cards issued locally in Europe to make purchases or withdraw Chinese yuan cash directly within China.

Short-term visitors to China who do not yet possess UnionPay payment products can apply for the E-Money Card through the UnionPay app or offline channels like bank branches. By topping up the card with funds from overseas bank cards or cash, they can enjoy the same card payment and mobile payment services as domestic users.

In recent years, the UnionPay acceptance network has expanded to 183 countries and regions around the world, covering over 67 million online and offline merchants overseas.

Among these, 81 countries and regions have issued a cumulative total of 240 million UnionPay cards, and approximately 200 UnionPay partner digital wallets have been introduced in 36 countries and regions. These products are all internationally interoperable, enhancing the cross-border payment experience for cardholders.

Additionally, UnionPay International has designed the SplendorPlus Card with special benefits specifically for foreign visitors in China. Several mainstream institutions in countries like Singapore, South Korea, Mongolia, Thailand, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan have planned to issue this distinctive product.

Source: UnionPay International

CONTACT: Contact person: Ms. Zhu, Tel: 86-10-63074558