The two online travel companies chose to collaborate on this development following the impact of the pandemic on the travel and hospitality industry
Expedia, one of the most popular online travel companies in the world, now allows holidaymakers to pay for holiday bookings with cryptocurrency through its partnered website, Travala.com.
The press release explains that users can now pay for their accommodations with 30 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin, and Travala’s native coin, the AVA.
The Senior Vice President at Expedia Group, Alfonso Paredes, revealed that their partnership with Travala is inspired by a mutual desire to develop better solutions for customers in the modern world.
“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 its business faster than ever before,” Paredes said.
Travala, after syncing with Expedia’s API, now has more than a hundred thousand listings on their site as the world slowly begins to return to normal after the coronavirus pandemic and its subsequent lockdown.
Travala announced its partnership with Expedia on Twitter.
The travel and hospitality industry has been one of the most affected by the events that transpired in 2020, with share prices of airline companies and hotels dipping dramatically after the initial wave of the coronavirus.
However, countries such as the UK have now reopened their borders for tourists and holidaymakers. It is expected that travel sites such as Expedia and Travala will play a more important role in ensuring safe travels.
This move to allowing guests to pay for their accommodations through cryptocurrencies is another step in a massive drive towards the adoption of crypto around the world.
CEO and co-founder of Travala.com, Juan Otero, emphasised that the rise in cryptocurrency adoption is a part of their plan in ensuring that their users have a variety of payment choices 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 four- and five-star hotels in top destinations,” Otero explained.
“Our latest month-on-month data shows consumer confidence and the desire for travel is returning, with an 81% increase in room nights booked and website traffic up 50% week-on-week. Working with Expedia means we can drive traveller loyalty throughout the recovery period, offering unparalleled last-minute availability and fantastic rates and offers.”