In a step considered to be the first of its kind in the UAE, Union National Bank and Visa International have announced the launch of the Hadiya Gift Card, a prepaid card especially designed to be given as a present to a loved one, or to recognise a favour or courtesy.
“Most of us face a problem when it comes either to making a gift or receiving one. It can be difficult to think of a suitable present, yet at the same time it is often inappropriate merely to give cash, particularly when you want to express love or gratitude to someone,” says Hani El Badrawi, Head of the Retail Banking Group at Union National Bank “We thought about this at UNB and came up with the Hadiya Gift Card.”
Gift cards are quite popular in the U.S and Europe, but totally new to the GCC – and the UAE.
The Hadiya Gift Card is a prepaid card that can be loaded with a value between 100 Dhs. and 3,500Dhs. This can be done either by paying cash over a counter, or by transferring funds from a credit card or bank account. “With the Hadiya Gift Card, anyone can enjoy the benefits of card transactions,” adds Khalid Gamil Hilal Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications and Product Development Division at Union National Bank.. “They don’t even have to be UNB customers to give or receive a Hadiya Gift Card – they are available to everyone.”
The Hadiya Gift Card is an easy, practical and innovative way to make a gift, and there is an option to personalise the card with a greeting or message to the recipient., No bank account is needed, and the cards are safer than cash. In addition, they are particularly useful for making regular payments as part of a budget management scheme intended to avoid overspending.
“Because UNB’s Hadiya Gift Card is a Visa card, it can be used globally as well as locally,” says Kamran Siddiqi, General Manager for Visa International in the Middle East. “Consequently, the recipient has the freedom to make purchase from any of the 21 million merchants around the world that accept Visa. And, of course, it carries the qualities of safety, security, flexibility, integrity and convenience that people everywhere associate with the Visa brand.”
Valid for six months, the gift card comes in a number of attractive designs to match special occasions such as birthdays, weddings or anniversaries. The cards are supplied in a chic velvet package and with a promise of round the clock customer service for the card holder, and they can be purchased instantly from any of UNB’s locations across the UAE, as well as at selected outlets.
Gift giving is a common practice, and the UNB Hadiya Gift Card, which offers the recipient ultimate flexibility and freedom of choice regardless of age, gender or ethnicity, is certain to become the UAE’s preferred way for making a gift.
About Union National Bank
Established as a Public Joint Stock Company in 1982, UNB is one of the leading domestic banks in the United Arab Emirates and is headquartered in Abu Dhabi. UNB is the only bank that is jointly owned by the Governments of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. UNB’s Chairman, H. H. Sheikh Nahyan Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education & Scientific Research, is well supported by a Board of Directors that consists of eminent business personalities and a Senior Management team which is made up of experienced professionals..
UNB has a strong and expanding network of over 40 banking locations and more than 80 ATM sites throughout the UAE. To serve its customers, UNB uses both traditional and electronic banking channels. The bank offers a wide variety of products and services that meet a range of banking requirements form basic individual needs to complex commercial transactions. It is further supported by a correspondent banking network of international banks.
UNBs’ commitment to quality and to the business objectives is clearly reflected in the financial performance over the recent past. UNB has been on a continuous journey towards excellence to create a strong culture of continual performance improvement and to provide consistently superior services to its customers. As an acknowledgement of its efforts; UNB has been awarded major accolades and quality certifications.
For more details about the bank profile, product, services & financials, please visit our website www.unb.com
About Visa International
Visa International is a partnership of 21,000 member banks. These banks have issued over a billion Visa cards worldwide on which US$4 trillion per year is spent across over 150 countries.
Visa’s role is to provide payment solutions for its member banks, enabling them to issue cards and process merchants’ Visa card transactions. The Visa products issued by the banks are safer, more convenient and more efficient than cash. Furthermore, they help to bring people into the banking system and to increase the funds available for commercial loans, the lifeblood of a growing economy.
