One year after TravelBook.ph launched their exclusive and most convenient payment option, Filipinos had traveled further—and farther.
TravelBook.ph exclusively offers Pay-At-Hotel, No Credit Card Needed, an innovative payment method that allows travelers to secure a room in advance without having to provide credit card details or make initial deposits to banks or payment centers.
Since its launch last May 2016, thousands of Filipino travelers have been able to skip initial transactions and upfront payments in favor of just paying on the day of their check-in.
Most e-commerce outfits, including online travel agencies (OTAs), require their customers to make initial transactions through credit card payments or over-the-counter deposits in order to complete reservations. While such process is important and necessary, TravelBook.ph—the leading OTA dedicated to offering hotel accommodations in their best value, wants to make traveling easier right from the very beginning.
Pay-At-Hotel is the fastest-growing new payment method in the Philippines
It has just been a year since Pay-At-Hotel, No Credit Card Needed was launched but TravelBook.ph has already encouraged more than 1,100 of their hotel partners nationwide to adopt this new type of payment option. Many of the popular and big chain hotels have also joined this program.
It wasn’t an easy feat to achieve, and as far as TravelBook.ph is concerned, this is just the beginning. Although it has been fulfilling for the leading OTA to have more partners in providing hassle-free booking experience to Filipinos, it has also been a challenging first year for the company with their Pay-At-Hotel, No Credit Card Needed option.
“Initially, most of the hotels hesitate and decline to join the service since there is always the possibility that guests will not show up on their check-in date and not pay the cancellation fee,” says Mr. Takumi Nakazawa, General Manager of TravelBook Philippines, Inc.
Recognizing this dilemma, TravelBook.ph approached their hotel partners one by one to encourage them to join the program and ensure each of them that the risk of no show will be properly addressed.
“In order to use Pay-At-Hotel, No Credit Card Needed, the customer must apply for a TravelBook.ph free membership first,” Mr. Nakazawa explained. “If the customer violates our terms and conditions by not showing up or not paying the cancellation fee, we will suspend this payment option from the member’s account for the time being.”
With this in mind, the company set terms and conditions to make sure that their members adhere to proper customer behavior so they can continuously enjoy the benefits of this hassle-free option.
Because of the convenience that comes with Pay-At-Hotel, No Credit Card Needed, Filipino travelers have already been using this payment method when booking their hotel accommodations.
More and more travelers are shifting to Pay-At-Hotel payment option
In just a span of one year, TravelBook.ph has recorded an unprecedented growth in bookings made using Pay-At-Hotel, No Credit Card Needed. As of April 2017, Pay-At-Hotel bookings has an average YOY growth rate of 691%—an outstanding percentage recorded almost a year after its launch. That’s almost seven times higher in just eleven months (April 2017 vs. May 2016).
As shown in the graph above, it is clear that Pay-At-Hotel bookings have significantly increased month after month since May 2016, most especially during the months of November, March and April, which are considered as peak seasons. This means that more and more travelers have chosen to book their hotel accommodations using this payment option over the course of a year.
“The Pay-At-Hotel method of TravelBook.ph is one that is frequently selected by clients because of its convenience,” says Rio Tolentino, General Manager of Rio Suites in Mandaluyong City. He also added that some clients are not comfortable using their credit cards for online purchasing and that this payment method “made it easier for them to book an accommodation that best suits their budget.”
With an astounding growth like this, TravelBook.ph is determined to further expand this payment method to hotels and resorts in every region of the Philippines so that many Filipinos can see more of this lovely country and travel more. An innovation like Pay-At-Hotel, No Credit Card Needed is only as good as its reach and effectiveness, and by increasing its accessibility, Filipinos, no doubt, will be able to travel in the most convenient way possible.
Fearless and hassle-free payment method for everyone
Pay-At-Hotel, No Credit Card Needed is TravelBook.ph’s answer to online booking inconveniences that are usually faced by Filipino travelers who do not own credit cards.
“Filipinos are still averse or allergic to credit cards,” says a report released by The Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP). Since most OTAs require credit card details to complete transactions, this has become a usual problem when booking online because 90% of Filipinos are non-credit card holders.
Even during instances when customers do have credit cards, Filipinos are still hesitant to provide details online because of the threat of fraud and fear of identity theft that are commonly associated with online transactions.
In addition, Pay-At-Hotel, No Credit Card Needed also meets the customer demand for convenient transactions. Since this payment method allows direct transactions with the hotel of their choice during their check-in date, it further cuts out the inconvenience as travelers no longer have to find time to look for banks or payment centers for over-the-counter deposits or transactions. All they need to do is show up on the day of their check-in and pay at the hotel’s reception.
By tapping a huge potential market and providing the most convenient of transactions, TravelBook.ph is able to remove online booking inconveniences and attract more vacationers to travel further.
Without a doubt, Pay-At-Hotel, No Credit Card Needed revolutionized the way customers pay for their online hotel bookings. It has proven to be the most beneficial payment option to date as it opens endless opportunities for Filipinos to travel and explore the Philippines.
Want to use Pay-At-Hotel, No Credit Card Needed for your next hotel reservation? Register now as a TravelBook.ph member for free by visiting https://www.travelbook.ph/.
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