On Nov 3, 2008, China Unionpay (CUP) and Tourism New South Wales (NSW) of Australia together held the press conference in Shanghai, announcing the formal commencement of the activity of “Reality TV Show of New Perspective of Tripself in Sydney”. CUP assistant president Yan Qiang, Director of North Asia Region of Tourism NSW of Australia Oton Wu and Consulate General Tom Connor of Australia in Shanghai attended the conference. Through ”reality experience”, this activity is aimed to vividly portrait the life of Chinese tourists in NSW who pay by CUP card, and promote more key scenic spots and merchants to accept CUP cards, thus facilitating Chinese tourists who pay by CUP card to enjoy their travel in NSW. This activity of “Reality TV Show of New Perspective of Tripself in Sydney” was also supported by Chinese and Australian enterprises like Australian Airlines, Ctrip and the Travel Channel.
CUP standard card holders just need to participate in the online Question & Answer on Ctrip. If they are lucky enough to become winners, they will have the chance to fly to Sydney for the exciting tripself contest. The process of the contest will be filmed and broadcast by the Travel Channel in the form of “reality TV show”. Before departure, every participant will be given a CUP standard card with certain amount of contest fees and a list of tasks. The list will outline places to go or things to do in NSW, most of which require the payment of their CUP standard card. The first one who finishes the tasks will be awarded “Supreme Prize of Tripself in Sydney”, and enjoy “A Two-person Trip of Romance to Sydney”.
Most Chinese audience can watch the reality TV show through the Travel Channel. While appreciating the beautiful scenery of NSW and feeling the hospitality of the local people, the audience will meanwhile vividly experiencing the convenience that CUP card brings to Chinese tourists. Australia opened CUP card acceptance and handling business in 2006, and there are currently over 20,000 merchants who accept CUP cards, including such famous merchants as Louis Vuitton and DFS. The National Australia Bank (NAB) and over 7,000 sets of ATM machines under Cashcard accept CUP cards to draw cash. In Australia, wiping card through CUP network can save 1%-2% currency conversion fee of the total transaction fee.
In addition, the activity of “Reality TV Show of New Perspective of Tripself in Sydney” has also offered Australian merchants good opportunities to know about the consumption needs of Chinese tourists. Tourism NSW hopes that through this activity, more Australian merchants will accept CUP cards so as to facilitate shopping of the Chinese tourists. It is said that, some famous scenic spots like Sydney Opera House and CAPTAIN COOK will formally accept CUP cards around this activity.
At the press conference, CUP’s assistant president Yan Qiang expressed that this activity of “Reality TV Show of New Perspective of Tripself in Sydney” will further the friendly cooperative relationship between CUP and Tourism NSW, and directly enhance the further promotion of CUP’s business in Australia. As a result, it is of great significance and function. CUP will continue to strengthen the contact and cooperation with Tourism NSW to produce positive results with regard to personnel exchanges and cultural communications between these two countries. Director of North Asia Region of Tourism NSW Oton Wu also expressed that with the joint efforts to hold this activity, it is an important landmark cooperation to the tourist industry in NSW.
The activity of “Reality TV Show of New Perspective of Tripself in Sydney” holds press conferences in Shanghai and Sydney respectively. The Sydney press conference was held on Oct, 27th , and the CFO of CUP Chen Xianming attended the press conference and expressed that with the joint efforts of both sides, it will strongly promote the tripself of Chinese tourists, and this in turn will produce positive results for the development of Australian tourist industry.
NSW is the most densely-populated and economically developed state in Australia, as well as the destination Chinese tourists can’t miss. Sydney is the official capital of NSW and also the world-famous center of finance, tourism and culture. As statistics of Tourism NSW show, the number of Chinese visitors coming to NSW was about 280,000 in 2007, accounting for 73.8% of the total visitors to Australia. And this proportion is on the rise.
As CUP is constantly accelerating its internationalization process, the establishment of CUP Card International Acceptance and Handling Network has basically taken shape. Up till now, CUP cards can be used to draw money on ATMs in nearly 50 countries and regions and be used to pay for purchases on merchants’ POS terminals in 28 countries and regions outside China. In addition, CUP is taking an active part in promoting overseas financial institutions to issue its Standard Card. Now over 40 financial institutions in 8 countries and regions have formally issued CUP Standard Card of the local currency.
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