Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies are gaining ground in the tourism sector as key tools to improve travelers’ experience and optimize service management. In an area where trust and immediacy in transactions are fundamental, these innovations allow to speed up payments, reduce costs and offer new forms of loyalty through the tokenization of services. From the purchase of tickets to the reserve of accommodation and activities, the use of blockchain is redefining the way in which tourists interact with the industry, promoting greater transparency and efficiency.
“In recent years we have seen how some international tourism companies are integrating digital tokens into their loyalty and reward programs to offer a more dynamic and personalized experience,” says Silvia Avilés, director of Tourism Innovation Summit (TIS). Some companies have implemented blockchain tokens that customers can exchange for discounts and improvements in their reservations, explains Aviles.
An example is Singapore Airlines, which uses this technology to convert travel miles into usable payment units into associated businesses, expanding the exchange options for its customers, the expert points out. Another case is Travala, a reservation platform that, when integrating with Skyscanner, a travel search and comparison portal, allows you to pay flights and hotels with more than 100 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. In addition, it offers access to accommodations and reservations, opening the door to new customers for these businesses.
According to Binance, 11.54% of the tourism sector companies already accept payments with blockchain, facilitating more agile transactions and the implementation of tokens -based loyalty programs. This trend is not limited only to digital platforms. Telefónica Tech and Unblock have developed a SUPERAPP that integrates Trustos technology to reward tourists and residents with fungible tokens and NFTS. Through the ‘Visit-To-Oarn’ model, users receive incentives for consuming local services, accumulating exchangeable benefits in different destinations.
This evolution in the payment and loyalty methods confirms the growing prominence of cryptocurrencies in the sector, according to Juan Luis Pascual, B2B Director of Bit2ME. By eliminating intermediaries, these digital assets reduce costs in international transactions and facilitate access to travelers from countries with hyperinflation, which can be paid in Stablecoins without depending on the dollar or bank cards, explains. In addition, companies can attract new customers, especially Millennials, a segment in which 42% prefer brands that accept crypto, according to bit2me data. Pascual points out that platforms such as Cheopair.com are already invoicing more than one million a year in Bitcoin, consolidating the trend.
Key catalyst
Tourism, he adds, is a key catalyst in the global adoption of cryptocurrencies. With 60% of their transactions being international, crypto payments eliminate exchange friction and facilitate the experience of travelers. An example is El Salvador, where Bitcoin has energized tourism by allowing direct payments without currency conversion.
Although sectors such as gaming and finance have led for adoption, tourism accelerates its expansion thanks to its global reach. Pascual indicates that 12% of tourism companies already prove payments with crypto, confirming their consolidation in the industry.
However, Íñigo García de Mata, professor of the Master at Blockchain and investment in digital assets of the Institute of stock studies (IEB), warns that the adoption of cryptocurrencies in tourism remains limited, although growing. Its use is more frequent in technological destinations and in segments such as luxury or specialized events.
Although some financial suppliers already offer cards that convert cryptocurrencies to local foreign exchange to facilitate payments, direct acceptance by tourist businesses remains minority. However, since it is a global currency, it allows travelers to attract without the restrictions of traditional currencies.
More than a massive adoption, García de Mata considers key to generate ‘cryptofriendly’ spaces that act as differentiators and open new business opportunities. Destinations with a high technological or luxury component, such as Dubai, Berlin or Los Angeles, have shown more interest in incorporating payments with cryptocurrencies as a complement to their traditional systems.
In that line, the development of Blockchain in tourism is not limited only to payments, but opens new possibilities in the management of reserves and loyalty programs. «The relationship between the tourism sector and Blockchain will narrow in the near future, with focus on the increase in security and flexibility for use cases such as reserves to token, the evolution of loyalty programs or improvement in logistics efficiency. The security, traceability and transparency inherent to this technology will become a value proposition by themselves, ”explains Jordi Esturi, how Brickken.com, a startup that offers technology for asset token.
In that aspect, Silvia Avilés, of TIS, points out that the token of tourist assets, such as hotels or experience reserves, is emerging as an emerging trend, although it still faces challenges. Its implementation provides greater transparency and safety in transactions, in addition to democratizing access to opportunities before reserved for large investors, which would allow private clients to participate in exclusive projects. However, its evolution will depend on the development of reliable technological infrastructure and solid regulatory frameworks, such as the EU, even in the initial phase. Volatility remains a challenge, according to Juan Luis Pascual. since the market is still incipient and is in the process of regulation to achieve stability. Regulatory fragmentation also hinders its expansion, and makes the use of these tools for many SMEs unfeasible.
Although the mica regulation in the EU is an advance, a global approval is still missing. Pascual also points out that many reservation systems are not prepared to integrate Wallets, despite the existence of APIS that facilitate this connection. Lack of knowledge is also a brake, since 68% of tourism companies do not know how to manage cryptoactive. However, technological barriers have been significantly reduced, with solutions such as Bit2ME Commerce, which automatically convert paid payments to fiduciary currency, minimizing risks to companies, explains Easter, Bit2me.
Jordi Esturi, from Brickken, emphasizes that cryptoactives are not only redefining payments in the tourism sector, but also drive a structural change in the industry. By eliminating intermediaries and reducing transaction costs, cryptocurrencies allow more agile and accessible payments, especially in markets with less developed financial systems. Its adoption, in addition to improving efficiency, opens the door to new opportunities in alternative tourism, promoting innovation and diversifying payment options in an increasingly digitized sector.
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