Meraas enters strategic partnership with Visa

DUBAI: Meraas has announced that it has partnered with global payments technology company, Visa, to create a new and exciting cardholder benefit for Visa premium cardholders in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The multi-year agreement will enable Visa Platinum, Visa Signature and Visa Infinite customers to take advantage of a 20 percent discount at more than 30 selected dining, leisure and entertainment concepts at Meraas destinations City Walk, The Beach, Boxpark, Last Exit and The Outlet Village.

The offer is valid from today and includes a selection of food and beverage concepts, from food trucks to casual and fine dining restaurants such as Butcha, Poco Loco, Pots, Pans & Boards, Galvin Dubai, Lima Dubai, Toro + Ko and many others. It also extends to Roxy Cinemas, Hub Zero, Mattel Play! Town, The Green Planet and Splash Pad Dubai.

The partnership between Meraas and Visa reflects a desire to support social and economic growth by creating long-term value for residents and visitors to the city, while promoting a payment service that is designed to connect consumers and businesses in a way that makes the overall experience of visiting, living and working in Dubai much more convenient.

With consumer spending accounting for 45 percent of the UAE economy, food and beverage and leisure and entertainment have become important growth markets. The food and beverage sector alone added US$24.8 billion to the national economy during 2016–according to the Dubai Chamber–an amount second only to housing. Consumer spending is forecast to grow 7.5 percent by 2021,to US$261 billion.Visa data has also revealed that increases in the adoption of electronic payment boosts consumption, leading to an increase in production, jobs and income.

The Visa Global Travel Intentions Study 2015 revealed that the majority of traveller spending is on retail, dining and tourism activities, and that 29 percent of travellers globally said they would spend more if they could use cards more frequently and at more locations.

The partnership will be available to Visa premium cardholders across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.Eligible card holders will be able to avail the 20 percent discount at the following Meraas concepts: