New Research Reveals 66 Percent of Global Travel Companies See Their Fragile Margins Eroded by Inefficient Payment Systems

New research has revealed 66 percent of travel companies are seeing their profit margins impacted by outdated or complicated payment systems, with nine in 10 expected to prioritise modernising their f...

Autore: Business Wire

SINGAPORE & LONDON: New research has revealed 66 percent of travel companies are seeing their profit margins impacted by outdated or complicated payment systems, with nine in 10 expected to prioritise modernising their financial operations this year.

In a report released today by leading global payments and financial platform, Airwallex, and travel research company, Skift, the travel industry is also being challenged by shifting payment preferences since the COVID-19 pandemic. While revenue from cross-border payments is on the rise, the unprecedented diversity of payment methods in different markets complicates transactions for 70 percent of travel companies.

Commenting on the research findings Jack Zhang, Co-founder and CEO at Airwallex, said, “As global travel continues to boom, travel companies increasingly rely on quick and seamless cross-border payments to surpass customer expectations at every touchpoint. However, our latest study shows that slow and outdated payment processes are increasing the cost of moving money internationally, which is eating into their profits - modest at the best of times.

Modernising their financial operations with a unified and scalable payment solution will be critical to reducing the cost and friction associated with managing cross-border transactions. For smaller players, this can be what levels the playing field, enabling them to compete with larger, more established counterparts.”

Skift and Airwallex surveyed 473 travel executives in April 2024 across seven global markets — Australia, China, Hong Kong SAR, Israel, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. The survey respondents confirmed that they make decisions about payment processes and financial operations for a travel company across the sector including online travel bookings, travel operators, tours and activities, and destination management.

“Our survey of global travel executives uncovered new, unique and even surprising insights into why unified payment and financial systems are critical in meeting today's traveller expectations," said Rafat Ali, CEO and Founder of Skift. "Amid an unprecedented rise in international tourism, the report intends to give travel companies a framework to expand their knowledge base and build more efficient, effective and profitable businesses through modernised payment and financial operations systems."

The findings provide a unique perspective on the financial challenges and opportunities that companies face as they grow and operate on a global scale. It offers rare insight into the issues travel businesses experience with end-to-end payments and financial operations, especially with the growing trend of cross-border transactions.

KEY FINDINGS

Travel customer payment preferences are shifting with local payment methods being increasingly used

Credit cards, debit cards and digital wallets remain by far the most common customer payment methods. However, travellers are increasingly using local payment methods or peer-to-peer payment apps, which can vary widely by market.

Cross-border transactions soar, but bring significant global payment challenges

Cross-border transactions are now commonplace with nearly 40 percent of travel executives reporting half of their revenues to be from international customer payments. Meeting different market payment needs, foreign exchange (FX) fees, and managing multiple supplier and vendor payments in numerous countries hinder travel companies’ ability to expand their supplier or vendor network in new markets.

Inefficient payment systems are detrimental to profits with travel executives saying financial operational upgrades are a priority

Challenges with payment systems, such as multi-currency payments and settlements, fraud risk and other operational inefficiencies are impacting travel companies.

The full report and recommendations on how online travel businesses can modernise their financial operations for global success, can be read here.

NOTES TO MEDIA

Methodology:

Skift and Airwallex surveyed 473 travel executives in April 2024 across seven global markets — Australia, China, Hong Kong SAR, Israel, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.

To qualify for the survey, respondents confirmed that they make decisions about payment processes and financial operations for a travel company in one of the following sectors — online travel booking, travel operators, tours and activities, or destination management. Approximately 80 percent of respondents work for small- to medium-sized travel companies, defined herein as those comprising 20 to 600 employees.

For further information

If you have any questions or would like to request further information, please contact press@airwallex.com.

About Airwallex

Airwallex is a leading global financial platform for modern businesses, offering trusted solutions to manage everything from payments, treasury and spend management to embedded finance. With our proprietary infrastructure, Airwallex takes the friction out of global payments and financial operations, empowering businesses of all sizes to unlock new opportunities and grow beyond borders. Proudly founded in Melbourne, Airwallex supports over 100,000 businesses globally and is trusted by brands such as Brex, Rippling, Navan, Qantas, SHEIN and many more. For more information, visit http://www.airwallex.com.

About Skift

Skift is the largest industry intelligence platform, providing media, insights, and marketing to key sectors in travel. Through news, research, conferences, exclusive interviews, strategic sector-focused newsletters and more, Skift deciphers and defines the global trends that matter to the marketers, strategists and technologists shaping the industry.

Fonte: Business Wire


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