Contract secured to manufacture tamper-evident sealed card packs to promote next generation travel money

Thames Card Technology Ltd (Thames), one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of secure and non-secure plastic cards specialising in banking and prepaid products, has won a competitive tender to support leading holiday company TUI UK & Ireland, with the production and distribution of its new travel card solution.

“We wanted to approach the concept of travel money in a different way by moving away from single-currency cards and delivering a product that adds more value for users,” comments Miles Briggs, General Manager Financial Services, at TUI UK & Ireland. “Holidaymakers and travellers now receive two, multi-currency cards that are linked to the same account, each with an individual PIN to offer greater flexibility. Having an established relationship with Thames enabled us to work closely with the team to refine a complex vision into a customer-friendly travel money solution.”

The two prepaid cards come in a tamper-evident sealed pack, ensuring security of the product until purchase. The cards offer a multi-currency solution and can be used to make an EMV or magnetic stripe payment in any country or currency where the MasterCard symbol is displayed. The second card can also act as a back-up ’emergency card’ if this first is lost or stolen.

Ray Brash, CEO and Chairman at PrePay Solutions, the company that facilitates the payments, adds: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to develop this new multicurrency programme with TUI and Thames. The product has a number of key features that deliver an excellent experience for the cardholder, including the ability to track the card’s balance and spending history via mobile app, and to move funds between different currency wallets. The latter is especially beneficial to travellers, enabling them to carry on spending, wherever they are in the world.”

Thames not only manages the production and packing of the cards, but also the distribution from its HQ in Essex, reacting quickly to seasonal demands and stock requirements nationwide.

Paul Underwood, Managing Director at Thames, highlights the value of the continued relationship: “TUI UK & Ireland laid down a real challenge with this project and the Thames team has worked hard to tailor a complex solution to very specific requirements. We worked closely with TUI, PrePay Solutions and our other suppliers to bring together features such as the multi-currency ability and have upgraded our internal systems for the delivery side of the project. Our automated systems can now match the two travel cards with the letter that contains the two relevant card PINs, ensuring everything works for the cardholders when they need it to. It is always satisfying to see a vision come to fruition and we look forward to supporting TUI further in the coming years.”