With the holding of the Winter Davos Forum in Switzerland, the local travel payment environment has attracted the attention of many tourists. So far, all the ATM terminals and 90% of POS terminals in Switzerland accept UnionPay cards, and it is expected that the UnionPay will reach 100% acceptance next year.

According to the Davos Tourism Bureau, the number of Chinese tourists to Switzerland has increased by about 30% each year in the past five years, making them the fastest-growing international tourists. In answer to this, UnionPay International continues to improve its acceptance in Switzerland. Through cooperation with major acquirers such as SIX and Concardis, UnionPay has expanded its acceptance footprint to local hotels, department stores, supermarkets, restaurants and transportation. In popular tourist destinations such as Geneva, Zurich, Montreux and Lugano, travelers can enjoy the smooth UnionPay card payment services.

CEO of UnionPay International, Cai Jianbo, who is attending the Davos Forum in Switzerland, said that UnionPay International has been improving its acceptance in Europe over the past few years. UnionPay’s acceptance coverage in Europe has exceeded 60%, providing convenient payment services for tourists. In answer to the new payment demands of free-and-independent travelers, UnionPay International will continue to carry out extensive collaboration with European institutions to further enhance its acceptance in key fields related to independent traveling and improve the service capability of the UnionPay network.

A Chinese tourist posted the photos he took on his self-driving trip from Paris to Switzerland and commented that, “It is very easy to pay with UnionPay cards at gas stations in Lucerne.” With the improvement of UnionPay’s acceptance network in Switzerland, cardholders’ spending structure in the country has undergone substantial changes. In 2018, Chinese cardholders’ spending at local gas stations and supermarkets increased significantly. Meanwhile, more and more tourists from markets outside mainland China have used UnionPay cards in Switzerland. In 2018, UnionPay cards issued in 30 countries and regions were used in Switzerland, and the transaction volume of UnionPay cards issued in Thailand and Myanmar increased several times year-on-year.

A latest report on travel trends released by Tuniu.com shows that Switzerland is still one of the most popular long-distance tourist destinations for Chinese tourists for the upcoming Spring Festival. UnionPay International has launched a wide range of card discounts at local merchants, including a 10%-off discount at the Bellevue Palace Hotel Bern, a 30%-off discount at FoxTown, and free drink at the Michelin restaurant Il Lago. Tourists can also enjoy the convenient UnionPay card refund service in Switzerland, including airport tax refund, early tax refund service at downtown, or claim for tax refund online through UnionPay International official website after returning home.