Global travel company, Booking.comjoined forces with SONGSa payment service provider and merchant digitization under Ant Internationalto improve the payment experience for Booking.com customers by integrating different payment options across Asian markets.
By working with Antom, Booking.com aims to ensure a more tailored customer experience while also opening up business opportunities in Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Philippines — markets with combined populations. of approximately 680 million.
It says that each market presents different challenges, including different payment methods, currencies and regulatory frameworks. Antom will look to help Booking.com navigate this complexity by leveraging its extensive payment channel partnerships and deep knowledge of local payment areas.
Daniel MarovitzBooking.com’s SVP of fintech, commented: “The partnership with Antom allows us to streamline and improve the payment experience for our travelers across Asia Pacific, bringing together a wider range of local payment options compatible with regional preferences. This collaboration reflects our commitment to deliver a seamless travel experience from booking to checkout.
“We look forward to working with Antom to support local businesses and continue to develop a more connected, innovative payment ecosystem for travel.”
By combining Antom’s multi-currency offerings and cross-border settlement capabilities, Booking.com empowers its global accommodation providers to expand user reach, and optimize payment acceptance and reconciliation of different markets. This collaboration will especially benefit small properties and holiday rentals that may lack access to traditional payment infrastructures, enabling them to compete more effectively in the global marketplace.
Open up new travel opportunities
Antom has built local acquisition capabilities in over 40 countries and regions, enabling businesses to integrate hundreds of payment methods and support transactions in over 100 currencies. It offers businesses seamless access to a variety of global payment options, including credit cards, e-wallets, and local payment solutions.
By using AI technology, Antom helps traders improve transaction security, optimize foreign exchange risk management, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency through real-time payment and blockchain solutions.
“We are excited to partner with Booking.com to expand payment options, expand customer reach in various markets, and support the platform to better serve unique needs. in each region,” explained Gary Liugeneral manager of Antom at Ant International. “This partnership demonstrates our commitment to making payments more efficient and enables merchants to unlock new growth opportunities in today’s dynamic landscape.”
Booking.com says it remains committed to making it easier to experience the world, with a smooth and seamless payment process an important factor in enabling travelers to book with ease and confidence. Through its partnership with Antom, the digital travel platform will make more than 40 payment options available over time, including online banking, bank transfers, digital wallets and local card payments. Key mobile wallet like AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), GCash (Philippines), GrabPay (Singapore), Kakao Pay (South Korea), and TrueMoney (Thailand) will be the first to introduce new payment methods.
By offering more flexibility, Booking.com hopes to empower a wider range of customers to use their preferred payment methods, streamlining the checkout process and ensuring faster, more smooth transactions – ultimately opening up travel opportunities for more consumers across the board Asia Pacific.
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