Madrid, Spain, and Shanghai, China—Sept. 29, 2014—UnionPay International, a subsidiary of China UnionPay focused on the growth and support of UnionPay’s global business, and Amadeus signed an agreement to integrate UnionPay debit and credit cards into the Amadeus Payment Platform (APP). Amadeus travel providers, including airlines and online travel agencies worldwide, can now offer China’s preferred card as an online payment option directly via the APP across the more than 140 countries where UnionPay is accepted. With this agreement, Chinese travelers may now find it easier to travel overseas as they pay with their preferred payment card, allowing travel providers to gain a strong foothold into Chinese outbound and domestic tourism.
UnionPay is the largest card scheme worldwide with over 4.3 billion cards in circulation[1], supporting every major Chinese consumer bank[2]. Last year, the payment made by outbound Chinese tourists via UnionPay’s network accounted for 80 percent of the total.
Amadeus Payment Platform, used by over 300 airlines worldwide, ensures a fast and easy payment process to all its travel provider users as authorization is integrated in the ticketing and selling flow. This also translates into enhanced transaction information, in turn, facilitating payment reconciliation. Furthermore, the APP offers travel-tailored functionalities that provide a secure payment environment to both travelers and travel providers.
“We are very pleased to have signed this agreement with Amadeus as we count on its travel information technology (IT) expertise and global reach to cater to Chinese travelers, giving them the convenience of using their preferred payment card,” said Larry Wang, chief business development officer of UnionPay International.
“The partnership with UnionPay cements our commitment to the booming Chinese tourism market and beyond,” said Celia Pereiro, head of Amadeus Travel Payments. “Not only will our travel providers have a quick and easy link to the immense base of UnionPay cardholders in China, but they can also rely on the APP’s robustness, speed and simplicity to process their payments. The combination of our global reach with UnionPay’s considerable share of the e-commerce market will offer the perfect solution to our customers as they look to expand their business in China.”
