Travel agencies cope with a unique set of challenges, from international clients to fluctuating currencies and tight margins. Efficient credit card processing for travel agencies is the key solution for a stable, predictable cash flow. The following sections describe what to look for and how to identify the best travel agency payment processing solution for your business.
5 tips for efficient travel agency payment processing
To stay competitive and financially healthy, travel agency payment processing must optimise how to accept, manage, and analyse payments. From using modern payment platforms to analysing vendor costs, these tips can help agencies ensure smoother transactions and a more predictable cash flow.
✔ Credit card processing for travel agencies
✔ Best ways to receive and hold multiple currencies
✔ Invoice automation
✔ Reassessing vendor costs
✔ Restructuring business metrics
1. Credit card processing for travel agencies
One of the top reasons why customers abandon the booking process is the lack of payment methods. Therefore, travel agencies should use reliable platforms that support various payment options including credit and debit cards, digital wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay, and services such as PayPal. Offering flexibility at checkout improves the customer experience and reduces abandoned bookings.
Security is key: Make sure to use PCI-compliant gateways with data encryption. Multiple payment methods also protect against payment failures and allow international clients to pay using their preferred options and currencies, which enhances trust and increases bookings.
2. Find ways to receive and hold multiple currencies
Managing currencies is an essential part of travel agency payment processing. Accepting and holding multiple currencies not only appeals to a global customer base, but also helps companies avoid conversion fees. Agencies can open foreign currency accounts with their local bank, however, each currency usually needs a ‘sub-account’, which increases fees and red tape.
A more efficient alternative is to partner with a reliable multi-currency payment platform. Modern platforms offer competitive exchange rates and extended services, such as multi-currency debit cards, hedging options and local payment schemes to avoid the costly SWIFT network.
Best practice case study: Luxury-safari.travel
Luxury-safari.travel, founded by Oscar Haartman in the Netherlands, offers custom safari experiences across Africa. The company faced challenges in managing foreign exchange due to multi-currency payments, long booking lead times, and inflexible banking tools. Traditional hedging involved manual processes and high deposit requirements, which made it unsuitable for their business model.
In 2022, Haartman turned to amnis. The platform delivered:
- Fair & dynamic hedging: Transparent handling of forward points and flexible value date adjustments.
- Versatile forwards: No large upfront deposits and access to forwards in smaller volumes.
- Multi-currency card: To be issued to travel groups, while maintaining full control over budget and usage.
- Shareable payment tracking: Public tracking links to confirm transactions and strengthen supplier trust.
“amnis has been a game-changer, transforming what was once a headache into a breeze. Its constantly evolving portfolio of features and products has truly impressed us – for us, it’s clearly the best tool out there.” – Oscar Haartman, Founder and Owner, Luxury-safari.travel
3. Automate your invoices
Manual invoicing processes can delay payments and strain cash flow. By switching to cash management automation, travel agencies can shorten billing and significantly reduce administrative time.
Travel agency payment processing can be easily configured to generate and send invoices automatically based on booking data. Automatic reminders ensure that clients won’t forget due dates. Most modern invoicing platforms also integrate with accounting software, which makes reconciliation faster and less prone to errors.
4. Reassess vendor costs
Customer payments are not the only factor affecting cash flow – vendor expenses can also accumulate quickly. Therefore, agencies should create a detailed list of all recurring costs, such as booking engine subscriptions, CRM tools, marketing software and affiliate commissions.
To follow up, assess whether each tool delivers sufficient value for the price. It may be worth renegotiating contracts, switching to more cost-effective alternatives or consolidating tools to avoid overlap. A structured expense management strategy ensures that outflows are aligned with business goals and avoids unnecessary costs.
5. Restructure business metrics
Effective cash flow management requires a clear understanding of the metrics that drive business performance. Travel agencies should regularly monitor key indicators such as:
- Booking conversion rate: The percentage of website visitors who complete a booking. Low rates may signal issues with user experience or payment friction.
- Revenue per booking: Helps identify which services or packages are most profitable.
- Customer acquisition cost (CAC): Tracks how much is spent to acquire a new customer. High CACs may indicate inefficient marketing strategies.
- Social media metrics: Engagement rates and click-throughs can guide more targeted marketing spend.
What to look for when choosing travel agency payment processing
Travel agency payment processing affects everything – from customer experience to cash flow and operational efficiency. Agencies should consider a provider that supports online and/or in-person transactions as well as a variety of payment options, all while ensuring security and competitive fees.
In-person and online payment processing
Modern travel agencies can accommodate both online and face-to-face customer interactions. Therefore, a reliable solution should offer integration with booking platforms, mobile compatibility, and real-time payment confirmation, while in-person terminals should support chip & PIN, contactless, and mobile wallets.
Additionally, having the ability to take payments remotely via secure payment links or virtual terminals is crucial for phone or email bookings. For the back office, unified reporting and centralised payment tracking across all channels improve financial oversight and customer service.
Multiple payment methods
Modern travellers expect flexibility when it comes to paying for their trips. A broader choice at checkout improves customer satisfaction and reduces booking abandonment.
Your travel agency should be able to accept a wide range of methods, including:
- Credit / debit cards – Visa, Mastercard, American Express
- Bank transfers – SEPA (Europe), ACH (USA)
- Mobile payments – Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay
- Digital wallets – PayPal, Skrill
- Buy now, pay later (BNPL) – Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm
- MOTO payments – Mail Order/Telephone order via a secure virtual terminal
Security/chargeback mitigation
Transparent processes and risk management tools not only protect your assets but also build trust with customers. Choose a provider with robust fraud prevention measures, including PCI DSS compliance, 3D Secure, tokenisation, and AI-driven fraud detection. With future-dated services, travel agencies are particularly vulnerable to chargebacks.
A strong chargeback mitigation strategy should include transaction tracking, clear customer communication, and easy-to-access payment records. The ability to dispute chargebacks efficiently through the provider’s platform is not negotiable.
Competitive transaction fees
Travel agencies operate on tight margins, so processing fees can have a significant impact on profitability. Look for a provider that offers competitive rates for both domestic and international transactions. Understand the pricing structure, whether flat-rate, interchange-plus, or tiered, and ensure there are no hidden fees. Also consider additional features like currency conversion and settlement timing, which may affect the overall customer experience.
Top 3 travel agency payment processing solutions
The following solutions are excellent online payment platforms for travel agencies. Depending on the client base and booking process, agencies may also benefit from dedicated MOTO payment providers to accept phone or email payments.
| Square | Podium Payments | PayPal |
| Online payments | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| In-person payments | Yes | Yes | No |
| MOTO payments | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-currency support | No | No | Yes |
| Ease of use | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing transparency | Yes | Yes | No |
| Best for | SMEs with physical shops | SMEs with physical shops | International bookings |
Square
Square is a popular all-in-one solution, which is ideal for travel agencies with both online and in-person bookings. It offers POS systems, invoicing, virtual terminals, and real-time analytics. Payment solutions include credit or debit card, ACH bank transfer, Cash App Pay, Cash App Afterpay, or gift cards. Square is easy to use and transparent with its flat-rate pricing. However, it lacks built-in multi-currency support, which may be limiting for agencies with a global customer base.
| Feature | Available |
| User-friendly platform | ✔ |
| Supports in-person and remote payments | ✔ |
| Flat-rate, transparent fees | ✔ |
| Multi-currency functionality | X |
| Multiple countries supported | X (Limited to countries where Sqaure operates) |
Podium Payments
Podium Payments is a strong choice for travel agencies focused on high-touch interactions. It allows agencies to collect payments through secure SMS links, which makes it ideal for customized or phone-based bookings. In addition to text-to-pay, Podium also offers both mobile and stationary POS card readers to enable in-person payments as well. While it doesn’t support multi-currency, its integration with messaging, reviews, and CRM tools provides an all-in-one solution for customer engagement and transaction management.
| Feature | Available |
| Powerful client communication and text-to-pay | ✔ |
| Offers mobile and stationary POS terminals | ✔ |
| Integrated messaging, payments, and CRM | ✔ |
| Multi-currency functionality | X |
| Suitable for complex tour operators | X (more tailored to custom services) |
PayPal
PayPal is a globally recognised payment processor, which is well suited to travel agencies that deal with international clients. It supports multiple currencies and offers easy integration with booking websites. PayPal is also known for strong buyer and seller protection. However, its fees, especially for cross-border transactions, can be relatively high and less transparent than competitors.
| Feature | Available |
| Global acceptance and trust | ✔ |
| Multi-currency support | ✔ |
| Easy to use for clients and agencies | ✔ |
| Low and fixed fees | X |
| In-person payments | X |
Optimise your travel agency payment processing with amnis
Whether you’re running bespoke luxury tours like Luxury-safari.travel or coordinating cross-border educational travel programs like Thuer Lingua AG, efficient payment handling is essential. With amnis, travel organisations gain access to a powerful financial ecosystem designed to streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance flexibility.
Through a single multi-currency account, you can receive and hold over 20 currencies – ideal for managing global bookings, supplier payments, and customer transactions without hidden fees or delays. Your team on the ground, whether travel guides or program leaders, can be equipped with company travel cards offering full control and 0% FX and transaction fees.
To protect your margins, amnis offers flexible forward contracts that let you hedge against currency fluctuations – providing stability in an industry where timing and exchange rates matter. At the same time, interest on business accounts helps you make the most of idle funds.
With integrations to tools like bexio, Exact Online, and other leading accounting systems – plus 24/7 self-service access – amnis puts you in full control of your international finances, with no paperwork and no delays.
If you’re ready to optimise your travel payments and take control of your financial operations, join the amnis ecosystem today.
