Visa and leading collective buying platform Groupon Middle East, have entered into a partnership offering Visa credit and debit cardholders up to 70 per cent discount value with exclusive offers on travel, lifestyle and dining across the UAE.

As part of the partnership that will run from February 14 to August 13, Visa cardholders would be required to use their cards on http://www.groupon.ae/deals/visa and be entitled to purchase exclusive deals on fine dining restaurants, retail outlets and getaways while enjoying up to 70 per cent mark down on their shopping.

The offer is valid only in the UAE; though they can be purchased with any Visa card from all countries across the Mena region, a statement from the company said. With the partnership, customers can enjoy exclusive deals each month in premium category segments through the click of a button at competitive prices. Each deal will be active for a minimum of seven days.

Visa and Groupon ME have also unveiled getaways offers to different parts of the world.

Through this partnership, Visa aims to help enhance online transactions, drive volumes and increase online purchase frequency across the region.

“We are happy to announce this joint initiative with Groupon to reward our customers across the Mena region,” said Karim Beg, head of marketing for Visa in Mena. “Through this partnership, Visa cardholders will have the opportunity to enjoy exclusive Visa deals as a new listing on Groupon’s homepage in addition to city deals, shopping deals, getaways and tickets. This endeavor is expected to drive e-commerce volumes for Visa across the region, and boost cross-border purchases.”

“Visa offers one of the most comprehensive sets of payment products in a secure environment and we continually innovate by enhancing our products and services and are committed to bringing the benefits of electronic payments to more people in more places,” Beg said. “This partnership with Groupon across Mena is a step in this direction to promote the use of electronic payments in the long-term.”

“Our partnership with Visa marks a significant milestone for Groupon as number one collective buying platform in the UAE and allows us to grow even further through the extensive network of Visa cardholders throughout the region,” said Alexander Kappes, CEO, Groupon Middle East.

“Our aim is to encourage the development of ecommerce in the region; our partnership with Visa symbolises this common goal and provides Visa cardholders with the opportunity to enjoy exclusive experiences only accessible online through Groupon,” he said.

The new e-commerce campaign is being marketed through online channels, including the Groupon website. The promotion will be offered to customers through their local banks enabled by Visa’s payment network, product suite and brand.

Groupon Middle East is the largest social marketing network in the UAE with a database of over 2,000,000 subscribers. It has currently localised offers for Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Northern Emirates, plus cross-border getaways offers and a ticketing portal for local events. – TradeArabia News Service