Visa courts high-end card market

Visa International has launched the first Visa Platinum card in the Philippines issued through Citibank.

Citibank Visa Platinum card offers its most distinguished cardholders first class privileges including a credit limit of up to P5 million.

Catering to the upper segment of the credit card market, the Citibank Visa Platinum card gives its elite customers membership at exclusive international clubs and under the Visa Platinum Club benefits program.

"The Visa Platinum card provides unparalleled service to meet the needs of its distinguished cardholders. As the global leader in the payment industry, we are fully committed to setting new standards for our cardholders, said James Murray, Visa International executive vice president for Asia Pacific and Greater China.

"The prestige and benefits associated with the Visa Platinum card are increasingly being recognized across the region. Latest figures shows that in Asia Pacific, Visa Platinum cards are being issued at a rate of more than 100 percent a year," Murray added.

As members of the Visa Platinum Club, cardholders are entitled to an exclusive package of services and benefits with Visa’s long-standing partnerships with the world’s recognized leaders in the hospitality and retail industries.

Cardholders can avail of free room upgrades in five-star hotels and resorts such as the Hilton, Ritz-Carlton and Banyan Tree, among others and can save on huge discounts in top retail establishments including Bvlgari, Davidoff and Waterfront Wedgewood.

Likewise it can also receive additional perks at the Bon Appetit Club, where cardholders can get gastronomic treats and piority service in over 280 fine dining restaurants across the Asia Pacific region.

As frequent travelers, Citibank Visa platinum cardholders can contact a 24-hour dedicated toll-free number to take advantage of a concierge service which provides services such as flight reservations, telephone translations services, legal and medical referrals and city-specific tourist attractions.

The Platinum Visa card was first launched in Hong Kong in 1998. It can be used to pay for purchases in Visa’s vast global network of over 22 million establishments and to access cash from any of the 660,000 Visa ATMs worldwide.