International tourism continues to be one of the fastest growing sectors in the world, with more and more people seeking out authentic and exciting travel experiences. There are many challenges facing tour operators who work to organize group trips on the ground for customers who want to be led on the experience of a lifetime with a group that is organized for them, rather than going it alone.
But group travel has been named as one of the growing trends of 2018, so it's more important than ever for tour operators to get it right. From brand awareness to keeping on top of digitization not to mention planning and managing the trip itself, there’s plenty to keep up with!
Staying competitive requires being on top of trends and meeting customer needs, and part of that means effectively managing customers payments. Today, customers expect instant gratification, and when they’re ready to buy they want to be able to do so. Offering online payments as a tour operator is becoming more and more crucial.
But how do you do it when you’re a small tour operator and have a limited budget or systems? Through a payment platform!
What is a payment platform?
A payment gateway or platform is a merchant service that allows credit card and direct payments to be made 24/7. It effectively processes money for you like a cash register and person would in a normal store.
Why do tour operators need a payment platform?
Using a payment platform saves time and money. If you’re operating across multiple countries and currencies, connecting with customers when they’re in the buying process is key. The last thing you want to do is have someone at the purchase point and then leave because you don’t offer online payments.
Why is WeTravel the best payment platform for tour operators?
There are many factors to consider when choosing a payment platform. Setting up a traditional payment gateway is a long and often complicated process, and while some larger tour companies will have the capacity to have their own payment platform, it’s less feasible for small tour operators. Instead, many tour operators choose to use already established payment platforms to allow their customers to purchase their tours around the clock.
Factors like user experience, security, cost, integration and what currencies and cards are accepted all play a part when choosing a payment gateway, and at WeTravel, we've thought about them all carefully when designing our platform.
With WeTravel, tour operators have several options.
You can set up your own trip page, which can be linked to from your website within a “book now” button or by embedding it within the webpage. Customers will be directed to WeTravel to see the information about the planned trip and be able to book 24/7. As a tour operator, you’ll be able to manage bookings, send out information and communications as needed or on a schedule, and download spreadsheets to help with organization. The fee for using the WeTravel payment platform is an industry-low 1% of the transaction fee.
A new "embedded checkout" feature has been added to the WeTravel payment platform. When a customer clicks to book a tour a pop-up will allow them to enter their details, rather than being redirected to another website.
We also have a “white label” option for tour operators who are interested in integrating their trip page more fully into their own branding, called WeTravel Business.
WeTravel is a competitive platform because it combines great usability with a low rate. It allows you to easily collect payment for planned trips, and apply special discount codes or payments plans as well. Trip management is then easier as you can pay suppliers through WeTravel, and manage your customers' details and preferences.
Check out how it works, and find your payment solution!
