Originally Posted by
WasKnown
If a union pay card came out with Globalist or Titanium status, I would wager they would see more *proportional* sign-ups from expats vs. locals. WeChat Pay and Alipay are far too convenient and many places (ie many non-chain restaurants) don’t even have the capability to accept credit cards.
WeChat Pay and Alipay are indeed very common, but it's not built on a credit model. My understanding is that the Chinese person credit market is underdeveloped. The Chinese terminals probably don't accept credit cards especially foreign ones probably due to the interchange rate? I find that my credit cards are mostly accepted at higher-end Chinese restaurants and hotels.
Regardless, agree complete with lsquare in that Chinese CCs are quite weak.
Just look at Hong Kong as an example. It's one of the richest city anywhere in the world. It's a global financial center. Yet, for whatever reasons, HK card lineups are quite weak. Nothing really compares to the US.
I would be more curious to see how credit cards play out in the UAE (where co-branded Marriott CCs are offered) and Thailand (where local versions of CCs like the Citi Prestige are all over the place).
I think Hong Kong also has a Citi Prestige. I recalled seeing an advertisement when I was there.
I’m not convinced the better treatment in Asia is purely due to higher scarcity of elites (though it probably helps). In the Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park Bangkok, every person I saw check-in was platinum elite or higher. I just think labor is much more of a commodity in Asia so the hospitality teams have higher expectations to deliver satisfactory experiences.
I agree. Thailand and Mainland China seem to have an endless supply of cheap labor.
My experience at top US hotels has been comparable to my experience at Asian hotels. It seems that the drop off comes at Premium/Upscale US hotels (Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, etc).
Most people complain about elite recognition in North America and Europe. I rarely hear anything negative in Asia.