Payment preferences vary widely across different regions, influenced by local financial infrastructures, cultural habits, and the level of digital payment adoption. Understanding these differences is key to maintaining a competitive edge in global markets:
Asia-Pacific: digital wallets dominate the payment landscape, particularly in China, where platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay are ubiquitous. In Southeast Asia, services like GrabPay, GCash, and ShopeePay have gained traction due to the growing popularity of mobile commerce and financial inclusion initiatives.
North America: credit and debit cards remain the primary payment methods, although mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay are steadily increasing in popularity. Consumers prioritise convenience, and contactless payment adoption continues to rise.
Europe: while card payments are widespread, bank transfers and direct debit services (e.g., Sofort and SEPA) are also important in markets like Germany and the Netherlands. Additionally, the rise of Open Banking frameworks is facilitating greater integration of account-to-account (A2A) payments.
Latin America: cash payments and cash-based digital payment options, such as OXXO in Mexico, coexist alongside a growing use of digital wallets like MercadoPago and Pix in Brazil. Payment fragmentation is a challenge in this region, requiring localised payment strategies.
Africa: mobile money services, such as M-Pesa, are essential in countries where traditional banking services are less accessible. In key markets, mobile-based financial services are driving increased adoption of digital payments.
With this diverse payment landscape, companies like Trip.com Group must adapt to meet varying consumer expectations. Trip.com leverages a robust multi-faceted approach to stay ahead of these trends.
Through its fintech subsidiary, TripLink, Trip.com Group optimises payment services globally. The platform’s Virtual Commercial Card (VCC) technology can handle up to 1,000 transactions per second, achieving a 99.99% system stability rate and reducing settlement times to just 2-4 days. This capability is critical in handling cross-border payments seamlessly for both consumers and partners such as airlines and hotels.
To further address local preferences, Trip.com integrates region-specific payment options. For example, it supports digital wallets like Alipay and WeChat Pay in Asia among others, and major card networks globally. By adopting a data-driven approach, the company continuously monitors payment trends and implements security measures, including artificial intelligence (AI)-powered fraud detection, to enhance customer trust.
This combination of fintech innovation, localised payment support, and a focus on security enables Trip.com Group to adapt quickly and effectively to changing payment preferences across geographies.
Several transformative trends in the payment industry are poised to shape the operations of online travel agencies (OTAs) over the next 3-5 years, driven by technological innovation, consumer demands, and regional payment behaviours.
1. Rise of digital wallets and mobile payments Digital wallets such as PayPal, Apple Pay, and Alipay are becoming the preferred payment methods for many travellers. According to industry reports, mobile wallet adoption is expected to surpass traditional card usage in several key markets, particularly in Asia and Africa. OTAs will need to integrate a variety of mobile payment options to provide a frictionless booking experience. 2. Cross-border payment solutions and real-time settlement With international travel recovering, seamless cross-border payments are crucial. Innovations like real-time payment networks and VCC technology are enabling faster and more cost-effective cross-border transactions. These solutions reduce currency conversion fees and processing times, which are vital for travel providers managing multi-currency operations. 3. Embedded payment systems Embedded payments, which integrate payment functionality directly within travel platforms, are gaining traction. This allows OTAs to offer one-click payments, bundled packages, and subscriptions, enhancing customer convenience and loyalty. Payment-as-a-Service (PaaS) platforms are emerging as key enablers of this trend. 4. AI and machine learning (ML) for fraud prevention As cyber threats become more sophisticated, OTAs are increasingly adopting AI-driven fraud detection and prevention systems. These tools analyse transaction patterns in real-time, identifying anomalies and preventing unauthorised activities. This not only enhances security but also improves customer trust in digital payment platforms. 5. Personalised payment experiences Travelers now expect payment options tailored to their preferences. AI and data analytics allow OTAs to offer dynamic pricing and payment choices based on a traveller’s location, currency, and booking history. This personalisation reduces cart abandonment rates and boosts conversion. 6. Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) expansion BNPL services are growing rapidly in the travel sector, offering travellers the flexibility to split payments over time. This trend is particularly popular among younger consumers and budget-conscious travellers, with OTAs partnering with providers like Afterpay and Klarna to offer instalment-based options. 7. Contactless payment technologies Accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, contactless payments – including NFC-enabled cards and QR codes—have become essential in the travel industry. From check-in kiosks to in-flight purchases, OTAs are incorporating these technologies to enhance convenience and safety.
1. Rise of digital wallets and mobile payments
Digital wallets such as PayPal, Apple Pay, and Alipay are becoming the preferred payment methods for many travellers. According to industry reports, mobile wallet adoption is expected to surpass traditional card usage in several key markets, particularly in Asia and Africa. OTAs will need to integrate a variety of mobile payment options to provide a frictionless booking experience.
2. Cross-border payment solutions and real-time settlement
With international travel recovering, seamless cross-border payments are crucial. Innovations like real-time payment networks and VCC technology are enabling faster and more cost-effective cross-border transactions. These solutions reduce currency conversion fees and processing times, which are vital for travel providers managing multi-currency operations.
3. Embedded payment systems
Embedded payments, which integrate payment functionality directly within travel platforms, are gaining traction. This allows OTAs to offer one-click payments, bundled packages, and subscriptions, enhancing customer convenience and loyalty. Payment-as-a-Service (PaaS) platforms are emerging as key enablers of this trend.
4. AI and machine learning (ML) for fraud prevention
As cyber threats become more sophisticated, OTAs are increasingly adopting AI-driven fraud detection and prevention systems. These tools analyse transaction patterns in real-time, identifying anomalies and preventing unauthorised activities. This not only enhances security but also improves customer trust in digital payment platforms.
5. Personalised payment experiences
Travelers now expect payment options tailored to their preferences. AI and data analytics allow OTAs to offer dynamic pricing and payment choices based on a traveller’s location, currency, and booking history. This personalisation reduces cart abandonment rates and boosts conversion.
6. Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) expansion
BNPL services are growing rapidly in the travel sector, offering travellers the flexibility to split payments over time. This trend is particularly popular among younger consumers and budget-conscious travellers, with OTAs partnering with providers like Afterpay and Klarna to offer instalment-based options.
7. Contactless payment technologies
Accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, contactless payments – including NFC-enabled cards and QR codes—have become essential in the travel industry. From check-in kiosks to in-flight purchases, OTAs are incorporating these technologies to enhance convenience and safety.
The payment industry is rapidly evolving, and several trends are set to shape the future for online travel agencies (OTAs) in the next 3-5 years. A growing need for seamless cross-border transactions will drive demand for solutions like VCC systems. These innovations will be essential in addressing the rising complexity of global payments.
Sustainability is a broad and evolving concept, with different meanings for different groups of people at different times. While the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) provides a clear definition for sustainable tourism – aiming to minimise negative impacts (such as economic leakage and environmental damage) and maximise positive outcomes (like job creation, cultural heritage preservation, and wildlife conservation) for a destination—Trip.com Group, as an OTA, understands that pursuing real sustainable travel requires first understanding consumer expectations and demands behind the concept. This understanding enables us to align all stakeholders and ensure that the services and products we offer drive market success while creating genuine social impact.
To gather insights, we designed a survey distributed across regions via our Trip.com Group platform, collecting a total of 9,867 responses. Our findings reveal that environmental protection is the primary driver for global travellers, especially those from APAC. Among all, travellers in Europe and North America tend to approach sustainability more holistically, recognising that wildlife protection, economic impact, cultural heritage, and societal factors all play significant roles in sustainable travel.
Our report also shows that perceptions of sustainability and sensitivity to costs vary considerably across different regions:
Asia-Pacific (APAC) travellers show a higher willingness to pay a premium for sustainable travel options. Approximately 32.3% of APAC travellers are unwilling to pay extra, indicating that the majority are open to additional costs for sustainability.
North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and Latin America (LATAM) travellers exhibit greater price sensitivity. In North America, 53% of travellers are unwilling to pay more for sustainable options. Similarly, 49.4% of travellers in EMEA and 47.3% in LATAM are not inclined to incur additional costs for sustainability.
While sustainable travel can be price sensitive to many travellers, an increasing number of them seek sustainable options when booking trips online. Over half of those surveyed (54.7%) now routinely look for these options. This is in line with the report’s findings about their expectations for online travel agents. Further findings include:
Three in four (75.83%) travellers anticipate clearly labelled sustainable options when booking from OTAs;
More than half (53.07%) prefer to see sustainable travel tips online.
According to the report, a significant 72.4% of travellers are attracted to OTAs and providers that highlight sustainable travel offerings. These choices act as a feel-good factor, as people express increased interest or positive sentiments when informed about them.
Younger generations, particularly Gen Z, demonstrate a strong awareness of sustainability issues. However, there is a notable gap between their awareness and actual sustainable travel practices, just like other generations. This suggests a need for targeted engagement and motivation to encourage Gen Z travellers to translate their environmental consciousness into concrete actions.
Nearly 9 out of 10 Gen Z individuals say they might consider sustainable travel, but in reality, a smaller proportion are actively practicing it. Among Gen Z respondents:
53.6% are motivated by environmental concerns when considering sustainable travel.
48.4% are unsure what qualifies as a sustainable trip.
31.5% don’t perceive any additional benefits from sustainable travel.
20.6% of Gen Z report regularly seeing sustainable options online. Despite greater exposure to sustainability-related information than other generations, Gen Z is just as hesitant as other age groups to pay extra for sustainable choices, with 35.8% unwilling to pay a premium.
% regularly see sustainable options online
This reluctance may be due to the belief that sustainability is beyond individual responsibility – 38.1% believe it’s up to the government, and 34% say it’s the responsibility of travel agencies. Still, 73% of Gen Z are open to booking with OTAs that offer sustainable options.
% are open to booking with OTAs that offer sustainable options
These insights highlight the need for a stronger understanding and clearer motivation to engage Gen Z in driving sustainable travel.
Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world, with the mission "to pursue the perfect trip for a better world". Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com. Follow us on: X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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