Heymax & Visa launch sustainable travel rewards campaign

Heymax, a Singapore-based travel rewards platform, and Visa have begun a new campaign to promote sustainable travel within the island city-state. The initiative, titled "From MRT & Bus to Miles: Heymax & Visa Reward Your Rides," aims to incentivise Singaporean commuters to opt for MRT and bus services by offering 2 million miles redeemable with over 25 leading airlines and hotels.

From 29 August to 28 November, Heymax users can earn three Max Miles for every dollar spent on MRT or bus rides. Participants simply need to link their Visa cards to the Heymax app. The more they travel using public transport during this period, the greater their chances of winning business class tickets to Japan, each worth 200,000 miles.

Joe Lu, co-founder and CEO of Heymax, stated, "With travel demand rising, we see a growing desire among Singaporeans to make travel free by maximising points and miles from everyday spending. While the rewards include air miles that can be used for future travel, the core focus of the initiative is to foster sustainable habits in everyday life. By making public transport more rewarding, the aim is to strike a balance between encouraging green practices locally and offering participants the flexibility to enjoy travel experiences globally."

Heymax's internal data indicates that Singaporean consumers have shown increased interest in travel and experiential rewards through miles-based loyalty programmes. Based on data from 23,000 monthly active platform users, the top four merchants for Singapore users over the past six months include Agoda, Trip.com, Klook, and Singapore Airlines.

Research and Markets' market projections suggest a promising future for the loyalty sector in Singapore, estimating an annual growth rate of 9.2% from 2024 to 2028. This growth trend is expected to see the market's value rise from USD $533.8 million in 2023 to USD $839.6 million by 2028, reflecting the increasing adoption of rewards-based loyalty programmes among Singaporean consumers for travel-related expenses.

This campaign by Heymax and Visa aligns with the Singapore government's broader initiatives to promote sustainable travel. The government has committed S$60 billion (~USD $43.5 billion) by 2030 to expand and upgrade the public transport network as part of its sustainable transport strategy.

The collaborative effort by Heymax and Visa highlights an emerging trend among financial and tech companies leveraging everyday consumer activities to promote environmental sustainability while simultaneously offering tangible rewards. The campaign’s dual focus on sustainability and travel rewards encapsulates a growing global shift toward integrating ecological concerns within consumer reward programmes.

In this initiative, Visa's collaboration with Heymax underscores its ongoing efforts to engage its cardholders in more sustainable practices. Offering miles for public transport usage incentivises commuters to reduce their carbon footprints, aligning with the global push towards greener living habits.

This partnership and the resulting campaign could serve as a model for similar initiatives in other cities, particularly those facing high urbanisation and pollution levels. As these programmes gain traction, they have the potential to create substantial environmental benefits while satisfying the public's growing appetite for travel rewards and experiences.