MasterCard International announced yesterday the launch of what it called “the most lavish incentive program” in the Greater China region, setting its sights on the strong purchasing power of Taiwanese businesspeople who travel frequently across the Strait.
The program, which will run from today through Nov. 30, will give away up to 50 BMW Cruise bicycles — valued at approximately NT$70,000 each — to holders of Taiwan-issued Mastercards who make cumulative transactions amounting to US$50,000 in China, Hong Kong or Macau, said Tina Chiang (江威娜), general manager of the company’s Greater China operations.
Cardholders who spend an accumulated amount of US$5,000 could win a Samsonite rolling tote, Chiang said.
“As the launch of cross-strait weekend charter flights has significantly enhanced the mobility of Taiwanese businesspeople in the Greater China region, we are optimistic about the purchasing power of businesspeople traveling frequently to and from China, Hong Kong and Macau,” she said.
Chiang said that 13 banks in Taiwan had issued platinum business credit cards targeting owners of small and medium enterprises.
For travelers between Taiwan and China, credit cards are an important means of payment for items such as flight tickets, hotels, dining, drinking and shopping, she said.
A MasterCard Worldwide Index of Travel report released last week showed that 17.6 percent of Taiwanese business travelers said they needed to travel more over the last 12 months compared with the same period a year earlier.
As many as 60.8 percent of the respondents mentioned China as their most frequent business travel destination, which made the country the most visited destination by Taiwanese business travelers.
Japan was second followed by the US.
RSS