TURKEY. ATÜ Duty Free is to launch UnionPay QR code payment service at its 45 airport duty free shops in the country.
According to UPI, this is the first time for all ATÜ Duty Free shops to accept QR code payment. The platform offers global UnionPay cardholders traveling in Turkey the convenience of digital payment service.
“Payment behaviours are changing and users are looking for the fastest and the most secure ways to make their payments,” said Unionpay International (UPI) Middle East Branch General Manager James Yang.
“UPI has long along been taking this into consideration. ATÜ Duty Free has been our valuable partner in Turkey over the years and I believe UnionPay users will better enjoy shopping at ATÜ Duty Free shops with this new experience.”
ATÜ Duty Free CEO Ersan Arcan commented, “As ATÜ Duty Free, we always attach importance to following the innovations and maintaining cooperation with global brands. We are considering the changes in passenger and payment behaviours and offer customers QR code payment in our stores with UnionPay.
“We are launching a new era in shopping with this valuable partnership. I would like to say that we are happy to provide a modern and safe shopping experience to our clients.”
ATÜ Duty Free, founded in 2000, is a joint venture between TAV Airports Holding and Unifree Duty Free/Gebr Heinemann. It operates 45 shops at Istanbul New Airport and the country’s other four airports – Ankara Esenboga, Izmir Adnan Menderes, Mugla Bodrum Milas, and Antalya Gazipasa.
UPI has partnered with ATÜ Duty Free since 2015. Currently, over 95% of POS terminals and 85% of ATM terminals accept UnionPay cards in Turkey. UnionPay cardholders can use their UnionPay cards in shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and many others, according to UPI.
With the launch of UnionPay QR code payment, the local payment scene in the country will be powered by digital services which will speed up the shift in payment behaviour in going mobile, UPI (a subsidiary of China UnionPay) said.
Apart from Turkey, UnionPay QR code payment has been launched in 41 markets around the world, with over 300 million global users.