Murmansk Region Banks Start Accepting UnionPay Cards

Tourists from the People’s Republic of China and other Asia Pacific countries visiting the Murmansk Region will now be able to make withdrawals and pay for their purchases using UnionPay cards.

MURMANSK (Sputnik) — These cards are accepted by over 90 percent of local ATMs and terminals, the region’s press service reports.

“This past July, the regional Sberbank subsidiary started accepting UnionPay cards at over 6,000 local retail outlets; this is over 90 percent of all ATMs and terminals,” the press service noted.

UnionPay cards offer new opportunities to local tour operators that specialize in Asian itineraries, the Murmansk Region’s Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Olga Kuznetsova noted.

The Murmansk Region has been receiving more foreign tourists in the past few years, including over 22,000 in 2016. According to sources at the above ministry, the northern region is becoming popular with Asian tourists. Last year, 6,000 Chinese tourists alone visited the region.

“Many foreign visitors from Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Korea have also started coming here. In the next ten years, Murmansk expects to receive 500,000 Russian and foreign tourists,” the press service added.