Travel, fashion and fine dining: UOB expands retail offerings across ASEAN with exclusive tie-ups featuring leading regional brands

UOB cardholders can look forward to exciting deals and privileges across the region with Singapore Airlines, The MICHELIN Guide, Club21 and Shopee

SINGAPORE, Oct. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UOB cardholders in Singapore as well as Southeast Asia can look forward to exciting deals and offerings in travel, retail and dining as the Bank expands its partnerships with top brands across the region. These partnerships are in line with UOB's sharpened purpose of building the future of ASEAN, serving and connecting more than seven million customers across the region, when the acquisition of Citigroup's consumer banking businesses in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam is completed. They will also reinforce UOB's existing strong position in ASEAN, with the Bank's total year-to-date billings in the region growing by almost 30 per cent year-on-year in September 2022 as borders reopen region-wide. This is more than 10 per cent higher versus pre-COVID levels in 2019. UOB's total year-to-date cross-border billings also experienced more than 80 per cent year-on-year growth during the same period. Given projections^[1] of an estimated 430 million more passengers flying into the Asia Pacific this year compared to 2021, UOB is well-positioned via these partnerships to capitalise on the resurgent travel outlook for the region.

Working with established names such as Singapore Airlines (SIA), The MICHELIN Guide, Club21 and Shopee, the Bank further augments its rewards programme for UOB customers by offering cross-border discounts, attractive rewards and unique experiences to UOB cardholders in the region. These deals can be accessed via the UOB TMRW app and UOB's the Travel Insider, a one-stop platform that aims to inspire customers to pick up ideas, guides and tips for their trips via featured key opinion leaders, as well as personalise their holiday itineraries with the best deals for flights, accommodation, packages and activities.

Jacquelyn Tan, Head, Group Personal Financial Services, UOB, said, "Every customer is unique, and at UOB, we are continuously expanding our catalogue of deals and rewards to ensure that there is an abundance of choices for every lifestyle, passion and need. We are honoured and excited about the strength of the brands that are coming on board, and the exclusive privileges they are extending to our customers across the region. Our partners share our ambition to serve consumers living in and connecting within ASEAN, and this is how we differentiate ourselves as a true regional bank, where geographical borders are not limiting factors to us providing the best rewards to our cardholders across the region."

Connecting ASEAN with Singapore's flag carrier airline

In a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) inked in October 2022, UOB and SIA will explore developing a co-branded credit card for customers in Thailand, where cardholders will be able to enjoy benefits such as earning attractive KrisFlyer miles per dollar spend and travel-related privileges. The KrisFlyer miles can be redeemed for flights with SIA, Scoot, and SIA's partner airlines, exclusive KrisFlyer Experiences or used as cash value for shopping on premium e-commerce retailer KrisShop, and more.

To offer existing UOB customers in ASEAN an even more rewarding banking journey, there are also plans to offer enhanced privileges, such as more miles rewards based on their banking segment tier and miles rewards when they achieve certain banking milestones. The MOU will also expand the range of perks for customers through exciting promotional offers to be launched over the coming months.

SIA and UOB's Singapore-issued KrisFlyer UOB Credit and Debit Cards have been very well-received by cardholders, with combined billings growth of over 50 per cent year-to-date in September 2022. Riding on this success, SIA and UOB will be enhancing the benefits of both cards to include perks like higher miles rewards for KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card members when they shop using Kris+, and more miles for KrisFlyer UOB Debit Card holders when they spend on SIA Group platforms such as for SIA and Scoot flights, KrisShop and Kris+. This list of enhanced benefits will be rolled out by mid-November 2022.

JoAnn Tan, Senior Vice President Marketing Planning, Singapore Airlines, said, "Singapore Airlines and UOB have a strong strategic partnership that has strengthened over the years. It began with the launch of the KrisFlyer UOB Debit Card and KrisFlyer UOB Account in 2017, followed by the lifestyle centric KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card in Singapore in 2019. We are excited to expand and enhance our joint proposition with UOB to offer our customers even more rewards and privileges. This MOU marks another significant milestone in our partnership, and we look forward to offering greater value and engaging our customers in the ASEAN region."

Food always makes the heart fonder

Malaysian and Thai UOB cardholders are in for a treat, as UOB will be the exclusive partner of the renowned The MICHELIN Guide in these two countries. For Malaysia in particular, where The MICHELIN Guide is making its debut in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, UOB is proud to be the official bank partner. As the sole bank partner, UOB cardholders across ASEAN will receive exclusive invitations to private dinners and gala events at MICHELIN-starred restaurants in Thailand and Malaysia. The customised dining experiences by The MICHELIN Guide are synonymous with UOB's dedication to personalisation, where the Bank celebrates every customer's uniqueness by tailoring offerings to their specific lifestyle and needs.

"For over 100 years, The MICHELIN Guide has acted as a destination guide for travellers all over the world, creating memorable experiences for food lovers through our recommendations. Through this partnership with UOB, The MICHELIN Guide enables UOB the opportunity to offer their valued customers unique and delightful fine dining experiences in Thailand and Malaysia," said Mr. Chris Gledhill, Director of MICHELIN Guide Asia and Middle East.

Style in every region

In support of UOB cardmembers' pursuit of individual style, the Bank has partnered Club21, the leading purveyor of luxury fashion, to offer exclusive access to more than 150 celebrated brands and specially curated seasonal events in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia to all its cardholders across the region.

"Club21 celebrates 50 years of fashion this year. Our cachet in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand complements the influence that UOB has over stylish, affluent consumers in these markets. This partnership crystallises the synergies between our two brands," said Howe Chegne, Chief Operating Officer of Club21, which is under the COMO Group.

Beyond fashion, the COMO Group will also extend a whole suite of travel and dining benefits to UOB cardholders from 14 November 2022. Whether it's shopping or dining at COMO Dempsey in Singapore, staying at selected properties under COMO Hotels and Resorts in Bali, Phuket, Bangkok and the Maldives, or embarking on a digital wellness journey with the Group's wellness arm COMO Shambhala, UOB cardholders can look forward to special privileges such as discounts and a range of perks across the Group's range of establishments.

The best deals for regional customers, online as well as offline

To strengthen its online retail presence across ASEAN, UOB will be working with eCommerce giant Shopee to bring more exclusive deals and benefits to cardholders. In Singapore, customers are offered up to 10 per cent cash rebate on purchases made on Shopee using the flagship UOB One Card. Since its introduction in 2020, the partnership has growth from strength to strength with UOB Cards billings showing robust growth of over 500 per cent, and number of transactions increasing by 600 per cent to date. With Shopee, UOB is looking at further expanding its successful partnership in the ASEAN region.

"Shopee is honoured to be UOB's partner of choice across Southeast Asia. We have a shared commitment of providing easy and secure transactions for customers' daily needs. Through this partnership, we will be able to offer attractive rewards and greater choice to customers when they transact with us. We look forward to more of such meaningful partnerships with UOB to better serve our users across the region." said Zhou Junjie, Chief Commercial Officer, Shopee.

Inside scoops on regional deals with Travel Insider

UOB's one-stop online travel portal, the Travel Insider, will be bolstering its range of more than 1,000 curated deals worldwide with even more tie-ups with major malls, duty free franchises and restaurant chains across ASEAN. In addition to its unique blend of local insider recommendations, exclusive offers and ability to personalise travel itineraries, the Travel Insider will now feature mall-wide privileges at shopping destinations including ION Orchard and Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore, centralwOrld, The EmQuartier and The Emporium in Bangkok, Thailand as well as Pavilion Bukit Jalil and Sunway Malls in Malaysia. Discerning shoppers can also look forward to deals at Thailand's and Singapore's foremost duty-free retailers King Power and The Shilla Duty Free respectively. Foodies can now indulge in attractive discounts at regional restaurant chains Din Tai Fung, Crystal Jade and the TungLok Group of Restaurants, Malaysian franchises Dragon-i Restaurant and Grand Imperial Group, as well as Oversea Restaurant in Malaysia. With its range of deals and offerings, the Travel Insider ensures that UOB cardholders in ASEAN will feel like a local no matter where they venture to worldwide.

As part of the Bank's year-end regional campaign, UOB is also giving away a total of 32 pairs of SIA first-class tickets bound for anywhere in the world, to lucky winners from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. The weekly lucky draw in each country will commence on 14 November.

About UOB

UOB is a leading bank in Asia with a global network of around 500 offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. Since its incorporation in 1935, UOB has grown organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions. UOB is rated among the world's top banks: Aa1 by Moody's Investors Service and AA- by both S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings. In Asia, UOB operates through its head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as branches and representative offices across the region.

Over more than eight decades, generations of UOB employees have carried through the entrepreneurial spirit, the focus on long-term value creation and an unwavering commitment to do what is right for our customers and our colleagues.

We believe in being a responsible financial services provider and we are committed to making a difference in the lives of our stakeholders and in the communities in which we operate. Just as we are dedicated to helping our customers manage their finances wisely and to grow their businesses, UOB is steadfast in our support of social development, particularly in the areas of art, children and education.

[1] https://www.mastercard.com/news/news/ap/en/newsroom/press-releases/en/2022/mastercard-economics-institute-easing-of-travel-restrictions-and-pent-up-demand-drives-resurgence-of-travel-in-asia-pacific-in-2022/