A growing number of major international hotel groups are now accepting China's UnionPay cards as they eye the country's booming luxury travel market.

The latest to announce the move is Dusit International, one of Thailand's best-known hotel groups, which has just reported a 70 percent surge in Chinese guests during the first three quarters of last year, which has "reinforced its strategic focus on the Chinese market", it said.

Other leading international names to join Dusit in offering UnionPay service are Hong Kong-based Langham Hospitality Group, Australia's Crown Hotels, Canada-based international Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, One&Only The Palm in Dubai and the Beau-Rivage Palace of Switzerland.

Last year, the famous London retail store Harrods announced Chinese customers could shop using UnionPay.

Last month, QNB, the largest financial institution in Qatar and the Middle East and North Africa region, announced it planned to continue expanding its acceptance of UnionPay cards at all QNB points of sale, and ATMs across Qatar.

Founded in Shanghai a decade ago by the central bank and the State Council, UnionPay now has 2.9 billion cards in circulation, 45 percent of the world's total bank cards, and is accepted in 136 countries, putting it neck and neck with giants Visa and MasterCard.

The number of UnionPay cards issued by banks rose 22 percent last year from a year earlier, while Visa, which has the world's largest payment network, rose 4 percent to 2.3 billion, according to figures released by Bloomberg.

Figures released last week by the Bankcard Consumer Confidence Index, or BCCI, showed that Chinese consumers continued to spend confidently in December.

The BCCI, compiled by Xinhua and China UnionPay, increased for the third straight month, leading some analysts to predict UnionPay will surpass both Visa and MasterCard in 2013 to dominate the world bank card market.

James Ramage, assistant vice-president of sales at Dusit International, said Chinese travelers now represent its highest potential visitor group, so accepting payments by UnionPay is sensible business.

Dusit is also opening dedicated sales offices on the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong, and will offer additional tailor-made services for guests, including Chinese-speaking staff, Chinese-language television channels, specially created meals, teas, newspapers and shopping outlets, he said.

The most popular Dusit destinations for the Chinese guests are Bangkok, Phuket and Dubai.

"Dusit is confident in the opportunities provided by the robust Chinese market, especially in relation to properties slated to open in the coming months, such as Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, in the first quarter of 2013," said Ramage.

Meanwhile, the Langham Hospitality Group, named after the legendary Langham in London, has also launched a series of services, including settlement through UnionPay, aimed squarely at helping its growing number of Chinese guests.

Already, its greeting information is written in simplified Chinese, and it has Mandarin-speaking employees to assist with translations and arrange transportation.

It also provides a selection of Chinese television channels and Chinese-language newspapers as well as traditional Chinese food.

The acceptance of UnionPay has already been spreading among other global hospitality groups.

The award-winning Crown Hotels in Australia, currently sponsoring Chinese tennis star Li Na at the Australian Open, has confirmed it has begun accepting the card, as has the Canadian-based five-star brand Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, which already accepts the cards at 70 percent of its properties and has plans to accept them at all locations in the near future.

leehannon@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 01/23/2013 page16)