The UK is expecting a boost in visits from China in 2019, with Visit Britain indicating that bookings are up 31% from January to June this year compared to the same period in 2018.
Payments processing company Barclaycard has formed a card acceptance partnership with UnionPay International, a subsidiary of China UnionPay.
The deal will enable the credit and debit card transactions company’s 110,000
UK merchants to accept UnionPay through a phased roll out that will begin this summer.
Cardholders will pay with their UnionPay cards and mobile payment products, both in-store and online, across Barclaycard’s UK merchant network – which includes retailers, transport providers, hotels and restaurants.
The UK is expecting a boost in visits from China in 2019, with Visit Britain indicating that bookings are up 31% from January to June this year compared to the same period in 2018.
Barclaycard said visitors from China are some of the UK’s highest spenders, spending on average £2,059 each per visit, more than three times the all-market visitor average.