Indian travelers can now use UPI at Burj Khalifa
What's the story
Indian travelers can now use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) apps for online bookings at major tourist attractions in the UAE and Singapore. This includes Burj Khalifa in Dubai and Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore. The development was announced by the Ministry of Finance on Friday. The facility has been enabled through partnerships announced by NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), with payment service providers in both countries.
Strategic alliances
First UAE attraction to accept UPI for online bookings
In the UAE, NIPL has partnered with NEOPAY and Emaar Entertainment to enable UPI payments for online bookings at Burj Khalifa.
This makes it the first attraction in the UAE to accept UPI for e-commerce transactions.
In Singapore, NIPL has teamed up with FOMO Pay to extend UPI acceptance to Resorts World Sentosa, covering attractions such as Universal Studios Singapore and Adventure Cove Waterpark.
Global expansion
UPI now accepted in 10 countries
The Ministry of Finance said, "The integration of UPI for online purchases at world-class global destinations like At the Top, Burj Khalifa and iconic Resorts World Sentosa attractions... addresses the growing demand for trusted cross-border payment experiences."
The partnerships were announced on July 29 (UAE) and September 9 (Singapore).
Currently, UPI is accepted in 10 countries including Singapore, UAE, France, Mauritius, among others.
Expansion strategy
Expanding international reach of UPI
The international reach of UPI is set to expand further. Earlier, UPI-based ticket bookings for the Eiffel Tower in France were introduced on January 26, 2024.
Uzbekistan is also expected to become the 11th country to accept UPI following a commercial agreement was announced on August 30.
These developments highlight India's continued efforts to expand its digital payment infrastructure globally.