MasterCard adds more benefits for cardholders in Sri Lanka with increased merchant tie-ups
Friday, 4 October 2013 03:14
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Reiterates commitment to promote Sri Lanka as travel destination of choice
With the growing purchasing power of Sri Lankans, and the increase in international travel, MasterCard is looking to rapidly expand its domestic presence and offer a range of benefits to cardholders travelling abroad.
Sri Lanka is an important market for MasterCard within the South Asia region. “With an increasing affluent class in Sri Lanka, we see a great opportunity to collaborate with leading domestic banks and provide world class payment solutions along with unrivalled offers to MasterCard cardholders in Sri Lanka.
All our products, including the Titanium, Platinum and World MasterCard, are perfect choice for this customer base which combines the best of global and local experiences,” said Vikas Varma, Area Head, South Asia, MasterCard.
As a result, the number of local banks offering MasterCard products is continually growing, having expanded by a further two banks just over the last few weeks. This includes the launch of the Pan Asia Bank Black (Titanium) MasterCard a few days ago, as well as the end-August introduction of the Nations Trust Bank Debit (World) MasterCard.
The range of benefits offered to Sri Lankans travelling abroad continues to be a significant draw for local customer bank cardholders, especially since many are increasingly travelling beyond their borders, to virtually every corner of the globe. One such benefit is the MasterCard Priceless Cities platform.
This program opens the door to a number of ‘priceless’ offers and experiences spanning 30 international tourist hotspots. Through this platform, MasterCard curates benefits across travel, dining, shopping, travel, entertainment and more, in some of the world’s most iconic cities, including London, New York, Toronto, Paris, Istanbul, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney, to name just a few, with many more Priceless Cities being added every year.
"With an increasing affluent class in Sri Lanka, we see a great opportunity to collaborate with leading domestic banks and provide world class payment solutions along with unrivalled offers to MasterCard cardholders in Sri Lanka – Vikas Varma, Area Head, South Asia"
Further, the uniqueness of the offers range from everyday discounts, to priceless experiences that money can’t buy, such as an enchanting sunset spent tucked away in the luxurious Aman hideaway in the Summer Palace, Beijing, or even a special, by-invitation-only booking at Crockfords Tower in Resorts World Sentosa.
At the same time, Sri Lankan MasterCard cardholders can also utilise the MasterCard Lounge Program in India, where they can experience the true comforts of luxurious travel even before boarding a flight. Through this unique offering, MasterCard cardholders can avail themselves of complimentary access to, and use of, facilities across select Airport Lounges in India, in cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata.
Even in Sri Lanka, the number of offers and services available to MasterCard cardholders are extensive and, most important of all, continually growing. To date, MasterCard has tied up with 17 best-in-class merchants in Sri Lanka including Noritake, 7 Stories Ranjanas, Mathura Madras Woodlands Restaurant, Premadasa’s Gem and Jewellery, Amaya Resorts, John Keells (Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts), Cocoon Resorts, Citrus Leisure, Cason Travels, Siddhalepa Resort & Spa, Serendib Leisure, Theva Residency, Jetwing Hotels, Hameedia’s, Toby’s Estate, Diamond Dreams and Eco Team, spanning categories such as apparels and accessories, gems and jewellery, package tours, car rentals, restaurants and resorts, with many more merchants being added weekly and monthly.
Meanwhile, MasterCard has also made significant progress in its efforts to popularise Sri Lanka as a premier tourist designation for high-potential travellers from India. This follows last year’s signing of a strategic, five-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) between MasterCard and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau to jointly explore and deliver great travel experiences for Indian MasterCard cardholders through special offers and benefits accessible during their visits to the island.
MasterCard is committed to promoting Sri Lanka as a tourist destination. The company is leveraging its association with local merchants such as online travel agents, airlines and hotels, in order to ensure communication of these local benefits to Indian MasterCard cardholders who are planning to travel overseas. The organisation has also promoted Sri Lanka through its customer banks.
Extending beyond India, MasterCard has also heightened the visibility and uniqueness of Sri Lanka in other key global markets, including Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Americas.
