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UnionPay Int'l, Continental Hotels launch exclusive promotion for visitors to China

Friday, August 08, 2025 — 16:26:07 (UTC)

SHANGHAI, Aug. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UnionPay International ("UPI" or "the Company"), a global leader in payment solutions, has announced an exclusive promotion in partnership with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) offering an instant discount of up to 15% in China for global UnionPay credit cardholders. A total of over 500 designated hotels in Chinese mainland that support UnionPay online payment are included in the offer, aimed at enhancing the travel payment experience for international UnionPay cardholders.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is a globally leading international hotel management company with over 20 hotel brands. Its luxury and lifestyle hotel brands participating in this promotion include Six Senses Hotels, Resorts & Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Vignette Collection, and Hotel Indigo. Premium hotel brands include Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, EVEN Hotels, and voco hotels. Mid-to-upscale brands include Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. In Chinese mainland IHG operates over 800 hotels, with more than 530 now supporting UnionPay online payments and participating in this promotion.

Between June 10 and October 31, 2025, cardholders using UnionPay credit cards issued outside Chinese mainland can enjoy instant hotel discounts when booking eligible properties in Chinese mainland through the official InterContinental Hotels website or IHG One Rewards Mobile App, where UnionPay online payment is accepted at the checkout. Customers using UnionPay credit cards issued in South Korea or UnionPay SplendorPlus Credit Cards will receive 15% off, up to 400 RMB. Those using other UnionPay credit cards issued overseas will receive 10% off, up to 200 RMB.

UnionPay's extensive network ensures wide coverage in China, with near-universal acceptance at ATMs and mainstream merchants. More than 200 million UnionPay cards have been issued in 83 countries and regions outside the Chinese mainland, allowing international visitors to benefit from real-time currency conversion without excessive fees. Many popular mobile wallets abroad support UnionPay QR codes, enabling hassle-free in-store payments—no additional apps required. Travelers can also link their overseas-issued UnionPay cards to Alipay or WeChat Pay, enjoying promotional discounts with zero extra fees.

As part of its continued development, UnionPay introduced SplendorPlus, a new card product tailored to international visitors to China last year. The SplendorPlus card comes with a suite of core benefits, including domestic airport privileges, access to popular tourist attractions, cultural and artistic experiences, local culinary perks, and 1% cashback on spending in Chinese mainland. To date, UnionPay International has partnered with 56 institutions across 20 overseas markets to launch or sign agreements for the SplendorPlus program, covering over 10 million cards.

About InterContinental Hotels Group

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is a globally leading international hotel management company with over 20 hotel brands, operating more than 6,000 hotels across 110 countries and regions. Its luxury and lifestyle hotel brands include Six Senses Hotels, Resorts & Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Vignette Collection, and Hotel Indigo. Premium hotel brands include Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, EVEN Hotels, and voco hotels. Mid-to-upscale brands include Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. In Chinese mainland, IHG operates over 800 hotels, with more than 500 hotels now supporting UnionPay online payments and participating in the above promotion.

About UnionPay International

UnionPay International (UPI) is focused on the growth and support of UnionPay's global business. Working with over 2,600 partners worldwide, UPI enables card acceptance in 183 countries and regions with issuance in 84 countries and regions. UnionPay International provides high quality, cost effective and secure cross-border payment services to the world's largest cardholder base and ensures convenient local services to a growing number of global UnionPay cardholders and merchants.

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Source: Company press release.

Categories: Partnership