The two partners said at a ceremony in HCMC that all those cardholders who pay for services by the card will receive benefits at Saigontourist’s chain nationwide and at many partners of the tourism service provider.

The program, named Discover the Charm of Vietnam with Saigontourist and MasterCard, is running until the end of next June, 2011.

Under the program, travelers will receive preferential offers in travel and accommodation, dining, and entertainment among others. Those travelers staying for three nights will get the fourth night for free at participating hotel partners.

Tran Hung Viet, Deputy General Director of Saigontourist, said that both foreign and local card holders could receive the incentives when using the card for payment. However the two companies were focusing more on foreign guests, with an aim to promote Vietnam’s tourism worldwide.

“We hope the program will attract more international travelers to come to discover the beauty of Vietnam,” he said.

Saigontourist has eight travel companies, 54 hotels, 13 resorts and 28 restaurants. The company also has many local and foreign joint venture companies.

Pham My, account manager at the Vietnam representative office of MasterCard, said that this is the first time MasterCard joins forces with a local tourism service provider to make a promotion program of this scale in the country.

“MasterCard and Saigontourist have jointly selected partners for the program very carefully to make sure that our customers can receive good services,” she said.

Travelers can get further information at http://www.mastercard.com/sea/personal/en/promotions/vietnam/destination_vietnam.html