Typically, when a hotel is booked by a travel agent the actual payment is made by the traveler at the property after they have completed their stay. This ‘post-pay’ model means travelers must be present at check-in to register card details and then again at check-out to make the payment.
Business travelers often need to use their own personal card to pay for the hotel before submitting an expense form to reclaim the money from their employer.
Now, travel agencies reserving Booking.com accommodations through the Amadeus Travel Platform can choose to process payment using a wider range of virtual cards from Amadeus’ digital wallet, across more than 1.3 million accommodation options.
The Amadeus B2B Wallet solution integrated with Booking.com reduces the demand on travelers to provide upfront payment information or to make payments at the point of check-in or out.
For travel agencies, the ability to use the Amadeus B2B Wallet means they can set and manage priorities for how they pay accommodation providers.
The new solution automatically recommends the best payment method for each individual stay within the booking flow, based on a wide range of payment options from leading participating banks.
Katja Bohnet, VP hospitality distribution, hospitality, Amadeus, said: “By helping agents pay for stays with Booking.com’s accommodation partners, we’re removing several points of friction.
“Travelers no longer need to provide card details at check-in or make a payment for the room at the front desk when they check-out.
“Travel agents can align how they make payments depending on their strategic priorities thanks to a wide choice of options from our issuing partners.
“Accommodation partners will also receive payment quickly and reliably: it’s a win-win-win.”
Travel agents paying for Booking.com hotel stays now have the choice of using 14 different card types including credit, debit and pre-paid options, provided by issuing banks from across the world.
When agencies choose to pay this way, the virtual card is automatically recommended within the existing booking flow, saving time and creating efficiency across the entire booking experience.
