Small Business Tourism Sales Increase with Cashless Technology

Unique MasterCard Cashless Pioneer Stories Highlight How Small Business Owners in Brazil and Dominican Republic are adapting to the needs of the modern traveler by accepting card payments.

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Miami, FL - March 27, 2014 - With the growing competition to capture small business tourism sales, entreprenuers in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are looking to cashless technology to differentiate themselves and improve service to their customers. Examples of this can be found in Marino Santana and Mauro Joppert, two entrepreneurs who were able to meet their clients' increasing demands for faster and safer payment options, and increase sales simply by accepting debit and credit cards. These merchants are the latest small business owners to be featured in MasterCard's Cashless Pioneers global campaign, which highlights the impact of electronic payments among businesses and consumers around the world.

"International travelers have come to expect debit or credit card payment options; many of them are used to paying with plastic in their home country and don't like to carry cash," said Gabriel Alvarez, Executive VP of Market Development for MasterCard LAC. "More and more merchants in the region are noticing this trend and making the switch in order to better cater to the tourist's needs. Not having the card payment option can represent the loss of a sale, so it's encouraging to see more merchants adopting the technology."

The following stories reflect how two "Cashless Pioneers", in this case microbusiness owners from Brazil and the Dominican Republic, have leapfrogged their competition and strengthened their business by accepting electronic payments - not to mention making tourists and travelers happy, by offering a safe and convenient cashless payment option: 

  • Mauro Joppert - small business owner of the kiosk "Coisa de Carioca" in Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His food kiosk was the first to accept electronic payments on the beach. 
  • Marino Santana - a taxi driver in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, who was able to meet his clients' increasing demands for faster and safer payment options by accepting cards.

Marino and Mauro are just a few of the numerous small business owners that decided to extend the benefits of electronic payments to cardholders, both local and for those visiting the destination, and have been able to increase their sales by providing a better, faster and safer payment option.

Cashless Pioneers is MasterCard's digital storytelling series  that seeks to highlight stories of merchants around the world who are strengthening their business and providing better services through payment technology. The program was launched as a global campaign in 2011, and so far, close to 10 success stories have been released in Latin America and the Caribbean.

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About MasterCard

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com,is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard's products and solutions make everyday commerce activities - such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances - easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone.@MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Pioneers Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

More information:

Michelle Muslera, + 1-305-810-1468, michelle_muslera@mastercard.com, MasterCard

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