Expedia Now Accepts Cryptocurrencies For Travel Bookings
- A partnership with Travala.com makes the new payment options possible.
- The collaboration has also allowed Travala.com to add over 700,000 accommodations to its growing list of 2 million options.
Illustration by Freepik
A new partnership between Travala.com and Expedia Partner Solutions (EPS) will allow users to book over 700,000 accommodations with cryptocurrency, the online travel agency said in a blog post on 6 July.
According to the announcement, users of one of the world’s largest online travel agencies, Expedia, can now use over 30 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), to book over 700,000 accommodations around the world thanks to a partnership between its subsidiary EPS and Travala.com. The collaboration between the two firms will also allow Travala.com to add the new destinations to its growing list of more than 2 million options, available across 230 countries.
The Senior Vice President of Expedia Group, Alfonso Paredes, said in a statement:
“At EPS we are passionate about innovation and recognize that booking and payment choice continues to evolve in a fast-changing world. Our aim is to support Travala.com to scale their business faster than ever before. Through our expansive travel supply, partner support and cutting-edge technology, we specialize in helping partners like Travala.com build fantastic experiences for their travelers.”
The partnership between the two companies was possible due to EPS’s “Rapid API”, launched by the firm in 2018, which allows travel companies to access Expedia’s accommodation portfolio of over 700,000 properties in more than 35,000 destinations around the globe.
The CEO and Co-Founder of Travala.com, Juan Otero, said in a statement:
“With cryptocurrency adoption on the rise, we want to ensure our users have payment choice and transparent pricing for every trip booked. EPS Rapid is the best API product in the travel industry and this partnership unlocks greater accommodation choice and availability for our users, including 4- and 5-star hotels in top destinations.”
Otero further pointed out that the new partnership comes at a time when the travel business has finally started to rebound from the lows it suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. His company recently revealed that in June its month-over month booking revenue had surged by 170%, while room night bookings increased by 81%. The firm also revealed that in June, 13% of all bookings were paid in AVA, the firm’s native token.
Earlier this month, Travala.com announced a partnership with the global blockchain technology provider EMURGO, which was aimed at pushing the adoption of Cardano’s native cryptocurrency ADA. Thanks to the collaborations, users will now be able to receive a 10% cashback on all their hotel bookings purchased with ADA, with the promotion ending on 31 July.
- With the addition of the new offering, Travala.com now has over 3 million accommodations around the world.
- Available on the sites’ “Homes” booking section, the new offering is in response to a growing demand for alternative accommodations.
Illustration from Freepik
- By partnering with Agoda, Travala.com now claims to have reached over 2.2 million property listings in total.
- July has been a record month for the crypto-focused travel agency, with around $400,000 in revenue.
- Travala.com accepts more than 28 cryptocurrencies as payment, among which is now Cardano’s ADA.
- The last six weeks have seen a steady increase in travel bookings, showing recovery of the industry after the pandemic.