Dubai Parks and Resorts has announced partnering with Chinese payment services firm Union Pay in a bid to attract more visitors from the world’s number one source market for tourism.

 

UnionPay will not only facilitate payments but also provide, “marketing services for cardholders visiting the UAE,” according to a statement by Dubai Parks and Resorts.

 

“Chinese tourists make up a major segment of visitors to Dubai every year,” said Ahmed Al Rayyes, Chief Commercial Officer at Dubai Parks and Resorts.

 

“We want to encourage these visitors to come to Dubai Parks and Resorts and enjoy a host of attractions for the whole family.”

 

Chinese tourists to Dubai have more than doubled over the last four years. The year until May saw a record 400,547 visitors to the city, making China Dubai’s fastest growing source market for tourists.

 

As it attempts to attract more footfall from growing tourism numbers, Dubai Parks and Resorts has been partnering with a number of companies in Dubai’s tourism ecosystem, including Emirates, Dubai Airports and Dubai Taxi Corporation.

 

After a lacklustre 2017 when it missed footfall targets by a wide margin, efforts to draw more visitors to its doors are beginning to show fruit; the leisure and entertainment destination recorded a 46 percent rise in traffic in the first half of 2018 with 1.4 million visitors.

 

“The business is making good financial and operational progress under our clearly defined strategy. Our primary focus is on driving footfall, generating repeat visitation through a simplified pricing structure and increasing brand awareness through targeted marketing initiatives,” said Mohamed Almulla, CEO and managing director, DXB Entertainments at the announcement of the destination’s first half results earlier in August.

 

“Looking ahead, we will continue to grow visitation from our key markets in the UAE, GCC and internationally, whilst also focusing on enhancing the visitor experience to deliver on DXB Entertainments’ long-term strategy,” he added.