Yerevan/Mediamax/. Today, ARARATBANK and Diners Club International direct banking and payment Services Company announced the launch of cooperation in servicing and issuing of Diners Club plastic cards in Armenia.

Acting Executive Director of ARARATBANK Ashot Osipyan said that the exclusive right for issuing Diners Club cards will allow to increase competition and diversify offers for premium class cardholders.

“We are introducing a new payment tool today. We began cooperation with Diners Club in two stages. During the first stage in late 2011, we tried to create an environment for servicing Diners Club, and during the second one in late 2012, we will issue premium class cards. The cards are designed for people who travel frequently or are on business trips, as they are given the chance to use additional services,” said Ashot Osipyan.

He said that ARARATBANK now works on the card design, so that the cards fully met the requirements of the Armenian market.

“Diners Club doesn’t require concrete standards in this sense. The cards will correspond to the vision, the culture and the needs of the Armenian client. Our marketing research revealed that there is a demand for such cards in Armenia. We will issue 5000 cards at first and then bring their number to 20 000,” Ashot Osipyan said.

For his part, Diners Club Regional Director Jean-François Paul said that they intend to develop the business environment together with ARARATBANK.

“Diners Club is the first credit organization in the world. Diners Club International cards are the first multi-purpose charge cards in the world, which made a financial revolution in how consumers and companies pay for products and services. Today, the cards are accepted in over 185 countries and the cardholders use over 800 ATMs. Diners Club is uniquely qualified to serve its card members all over the world, offering significant opportunities from “concierge” service to access to VIP halls of more than 450 airports lounges worldwide,” he said.

Member of the Board of the Central Bank of Armenia, Vagtang Abrahamyan, said that the cooperation of ARARATBANK with the world known brand is the regular success of the bank. “It will allow creating competition in the premium class segment,” he noted.