Mumbai: Thomas Cook has partnered with the National Payments Corporation of India to launch the first RuPay foreign exchange travel card for use in the United Arab Emirates. Issued by his RuPay network in his home country, the benefits of using this card include free his ATM withdrawals, Rs.750,000 free insurance, travel vouchers up to Rs. will be
International travel from India to the UAE, particularly Dubai, surpassed pre-pandemic (2019) levels, increasing by 23% from January to June 2023, according to Thomas Cook, and the company will launch a UAE-specific travel card. has chosen to issue the
“We are bullish on our forex card business and are pleased to partner with NPCI for the upcoming launch of the pioneering RuPay prepaid forex card. It will be implemented in the United Arab Emirates as a pilot destination before being rolled out in phases globally,” said Mahesh Iyer, MD and CEO of Thomas Cook.
Forex travel cards have traditionally been monopolized by international payment networks due to their widespread global acceptance. To tap into cross-border markets, the central banks of both countries agreed to link their domestic payment networks during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE in July.
The company expects to triple its growth by the end of the year. At the same time, the UAE’s per capita spending has risen significantly, rising by more than 30% in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The new card technology is powered by CARD91, an NPCI certified partner. In Phase 1, Thomas Cook’s RuPay card will be loaded with his AED (UAE Dirham) and will be available for transactions and his ATM withdrawals across the UAE.
Additional benefits include 50% off unique photography experiences at Dubai’s top attractions with Digiphoto Entertainment Imaging (DEI) and KrisFlyer miles on every foreign exchange purchase. The Thomas Cook Cards business saw card volume increase 172% year-on-year and new prepaid cards issued increased 228% year-over-year (FY23).
International travel from India to the UAE, particularly Dubai, surpassed pre-pandemic (2019) levels, increasing by 23% from January to June 2023, according to Thomas Cook, and the company will launch a UAE-specific travel card. has chosen to issue the
“We are bullish on our forex card business and are pleased to partner with NPCI for the upcoming launch of the pioneering RuPay prepaid forex card. It will be implemented in the United Arab Emirates as a pilot destination before being rolled out in phases globally,” said Mahesh Iyer, MD and CEO of Thomas Cook.
Forex travel cards have traditionally been monopolized by international payment networks due to their widespread global acceptance. To tap into cross-border markets, the central banks of both countries agreed to link their domestic payment networks during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE in July.
The company expects to triple its growth by the end of the year. At the same time, the UAE’s per capita spending has risen significantly, rising by more than 30% in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The new card technology is powered by CARD91, an NPCI certified partner. In Phase 1, Thomas Cook’s RuPay card will be loaded with his AED (UAE Dirham) and will be available for transactions and his ATM withdrawals across the UAE.
Additional benefits include 50% off unique photography experiences at Dubai’s top attractions with Digiphoto Entertainment Imaging (DEI) and KrisFlyer miles on every foreign exchange purchase. The Thomas Cook Cards business saw card volume increase 172% year-on-year and new prepaid cards issued increased 228% year-over-year (FY23).