Tourism Minister launches RHB Bank’s ideal Travel Companion Card

Launch - another RHB Bank Credit Card...(from left) Managing Director of Holiday Tours Thomas Chong, Director of Valiram Group Ashvin Valiram, Vice-President and Senior Country Manager for Malaysia & Brunei, Mastercard Worldwide Jim Cheah, Chief Executive Officer of RHB Bank Michael Barret, Minister of Tourism Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and Chairman of RHB Bank Dato' Azlan Zainol pressing the launchpad in unison to signal the launching of the RHB Travel Money Credit Card. 5 April 2007 -- Photo by Mohd Effendy Jamil

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 April 2007: For the discerning frequent flyer who expects nothing less than having his every need satisfied, now comes the ultimate travel credit card – the Travel Money MasterCard by RHB Bank Bhd (“RHB Bank”)

The new card, ninth in RHB Bank’s stable, comes with a wide range of exciting and unique benefits to pamper the cardholder and earn him free air miles at the same time, privileges not currently offered by many credit cards.

“Shop with the Travel Money MasterCard to earn great discounts or get you special deals. Get great gifts from points you will accumulate from your shopping. Otherwise, get free flights or travel packages to a destination of your choice. The choices are endless,” says Head of Consumer Banking at RHB Bank, Mr Michael Lor, at the official launching of the new card today.

Present to launch Travel Money MasterCard at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) was Minister of Tourism Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

In conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2007, RHB Bank is making it easier for Travel Money MasterCard cardholders to earn Travel Air Miles faster under its 2X TM Air Miles rewards programme. Under this package, cardholders will also earn Travel Air Miles from their spending while overseas as well as when they fill up at the petrol kiosk.

To ensure that the new credit card would satisfy all the desires of the consumer, it was first tested on a focused group, Mr Lor says. “Its unique design – a golden globe on a black background – symbolises travelling around the world while enjoying exclusive privileges,” he adds.

In conjunction with the official launching of Travel Money MasterCard, RHB Bank also inked a partnership agreement with The Flying Emporium, which operates a shopping outlet at the KLIA.

The new agreement makes The Flying Emporium the latest merchant partner of RHB Bank, and enables holders of the bank’s many credit cards to redeem their reward points On-The-Spot for Smart Gifts at the emporium. The wide selection of chocolates, fragrances, travel accessories and even Swiss watches will ensure that shoppers are spoilt for choice.

RHB Bank also has a tie-up with Holiday Tours to offer Travel Money MasterCard cardholders special privileges and benefits. Cardholders will have the option to customise their travel plans, and there will be a dedicated call centre to assist them when necessary so that they need not have to wait in line, especially during peak holiday seasons.

To top it all off, Travel Money MasterCard is also offering a RM4 million travel insurance coverage not only to the principle cardholder but also to others whose tickets are purchased with the Travel Money MasterCard. This is the highest free travel insurance coverage offered by any credit card.

“With 2007 declared as Visit Malaysia Year, we feel that the Travel Money is the most appropriate credit card for every Malaysian to carry,” Mr Lor says. “Whether you are a frequent traveller or you love to travel but cannot afford the air fare, this is the card for you.”

“If you travel frequently, you will certainly enjoy all the special privileges the Travel Money MasterCard offers. Otherwise, the card will earn you all the air miles when you shop, so you can get to fly for free to a holiday destination of your choice. And with more than 300 partner merchants where you can earn your free air miles, your Travel Money card will ensure you can start packing your bags for that vacation so much sooner than you’ll realise it,” he adds.

“We are pleased to be working with RHB Bank on the launch of the Travel Money MasterCard designed to encourage local and outbound tourism,” said Jim Cheah, Vice- President and Senior Country Manager MasterCard Worldwide. In a recent MasterIndex of Travel report, about 21.7 million people are expected to travel outbound for the first six months of 2007 reflecting a 7.8% year-on-year growth.

Apart from all those privileges and benefits, the Travel Money MasterCard has made it that much easier to shop. All the shopper has to do is tap his card at the payment counter under the PayPass Contactless payment system that ensures secured and faster checkout at the cashier. It is a convenient way to pay by speeding through the check-out process, eliminating the need to insert the card through a reader.

“We hope people do not make the mistake of regarding this as just another travel-related card. The Travel Money MasterCard is, to us, a spectacular product that offers unique advantages and benefits for travelling, shopping and dining. It is also a credit card that gives the cardholder travel insurance coverage and enables one to win free travel packages,” adds Mr Lor.

To be entitled to free travel packages and enjoy its many benefits, all one has to do is fill out the application form for the Travel Money MasterCard.

More information on the Travel Money MasterCard or other RHB Bank credit cards as well as its other products and services is available on its website www.rhbbank.com.my, or at any of its 183 branches nationwide. Otherwise those in Peninsular Malaysia can call 03-92068118 round the clock, seven days a week, while those in Sabah and Sarawak can call 082-276118.

About RHB Bank
RHB Bank Berhad is Malaysia’s fastest growing bank. Ranked fourth among local banks, RHB Bank has issued more than 700,000 credit cards. It has a range of nine credit cards in its stable to cater to the needs of the many market segments.

In November 2006, RHB Bank was awarded the MS ISO 9001:2000 for the “Provision of MasterCard & Visa Credit Card Services in relation to its services”. This ranks RHB Bank among the world’s best in the ISO Standard.

Issued on behalf of RHB Bank Berhad by Group Corporate Communications, RHB Capital Berhad. For more information, please call Yeoh Guan Jin at 012-3835027 or Akmal Baqi Mohamed Ariff at 012-6658704.