Seamless Journeys Weekly Newsletter

Plus: UK businesses seek payment upgrades 📊

Author

Rafe Houston
April 03, 2025

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Welcome to Seamless Journeys, your go-to resource for finance professionals in the travel industry. Each week, we deliver insights on optimizing travel payments, enhancing efficiency, and navigating finance innovations. From regulatory updates to working capital strategies, we help you streamline transactions and drive financial success in the travel sector.

📣 Editors Pick

Packed with valuable insights, this report explores:

✅ The hidden inefficiencies in travel payments that drain your resources
✅ How streamlining payment processes can save your business time and money
✅ The key benefits of modern payment solutions in optimising travel-related expenses

💡 Stay informed and improve your financial strategies— 📥 Download the full report here!

🌟Sector Spotlight

DIGITAL PAYMENTS

In 2025, UK businesses are focusing on upgrading payment systems amidst evolving economic conditions. An American Express study highlights that 78% plan improvements, with 39% viewing them as essential for growth. Efficient systems are linked to better business relationships, as 94% correlate them with customer satisfaction and 89% with business growth. Slow payments can harm relationships, illustrated by 30% of firms terminating partnerships due to payment issues.

Payment automation, although beneficial, is unevenly adopted. Despite advantages like faster payments and error reduction, cost and security concerns hinder progress. Only a fraction of businesses have fully embraced automation. These solutions align with the research, offering ways to mitigate payment friction and security issues with a structured approach to enhance business processes.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Jet2holidays has launched the "Scale Up Your Street" campaign, aimed at empowering independent travel agents by facilitating the opening of new retail shops. Through this initiative, the UK’s leading tour operator pledges significant financial support — potentially totalling six figures — alongside expert advice. This programme invites travel agents to submit written pitches, showcasing visions for their retail endeavours. Selected participants gain access to branding materials, marketing support, mentorship, and insights, effectively bridging the gap between aspirational planning and retail success.

The campaign underscores Jet2holidays' commitment to fostering growth in the independent travel sector as part of their Partners2Success strategy. Agents, ranging from experienced retail business owners to newcomers, are encouraged to articulate their shop concepts to a panel of experts for financial backing. Emphasising creativity, feasibility, and potential success, this approach not only builds partnerships but also fortifies the independent agents' infrastructure. Such strategic support is designed to ensure that these aspiring entrepreneurs can confidently march forward into the retail domain with robust guidance and resources.

STRATEGIC TRANSFORMATION

TUI aims to redefine itself as a "global curated leisure marketplace," shifting from traditional package holidays to offer more customised travel options. The strategy is to evolve into an eCommerce model, enticing customers with a variety of experiences year-round, rather than just once-in-a-while trips. By promoting more collaboration and cross-promoting services, such as through a partnership with Ryanair, TUI is actively seeking to broaden its customer base beyond its traditional offerings.

On the operational front, TUI is working to consolidate its flight operations and expand its hotel footprint strategically, especially in the Asia market, while revamping its aging cruise fleet. The emphasis on adding inventory dynamically reduces financial risks, allowing TUI to adjust according to market demand. Transitioning its Musement division to focus on profitability through diverse urban and local experiences highlights its shift beyond typical holiday packages, ensuring engagement across different travel needs and timelines.

TRAVEL PAYMENTS

Checkout.com has joined forces with GetYourGuide to revolutionise how travellers pay for their adventures. This alliance aims to streamline payment processes, making it easier for travellers to book experiences globally. Online travel bookings have exploded, climbing 200% since 2019, positioning GetYourGuide as a powerhouse with over 150,000 unique experiences on offer.

  • Global reach: Checkout.com supports payments in more than 55 countries. Its localisation capabilities mean travellers can pay in their preferred currency, enhancing user experience.

  • Meeting modern expectations: Younger travellers expect digital-first solutions. With flexible payment options like "reserve now, pay later," GetYourGuide caters to this cashless generation. Data-driven insights also allow for optimising payment processes across global markets, reinforcing their customer-centric approach.

EXPENSE MANAGEMENT

Emburse's AI-powered solution revolutionises expense management with automation and accuracy.

  • Emburse introduces AI to its product suite, easing the burdens of expense and invoice management for finance teams.

  • The tool automates expense submissions, maps expenses to specific categories, and offers richer insights to users.

  • Its partnership with Finexio enhances the transition from manual to digital ecosystems, overcoming hurdles posed by outdated infrastructure.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

In a strategic move, FinMont has joined forces with Payfast by Network to revolutionise travel payments. This collaboration is set to enrich FinMont’s global ecosystem by integrating Payfast's robust payment processing into its operations, particularly eyeing the South African market. As a result, businesses and merchants are promised a secure, scalable, and efficient end-to-end payment management platform that streamlines both B2C and B2B transactions under one unified infrastructure.

The partnership aims to connect various banks and financial institutions through a singular, reliable gateway, ensuring compliance with local regulations. Both companies are committed to anticipating and satisfying the evolving needs of clients, aiding the enhancement of industry practices. By melding their expertise, FinMont and Payfast are on a mission to provide an optimised payment experience, accelerating local industry development and offering a cohesive, seamless service for all users involved.

DIGITAL SECURITY SOLUTIONS

To safeguard against tech fraud, the travel industry must bolster its eCommerce payment systems. As digital fraud poses increasing threats, businesses are urged to prioritise secure payment solutions. To combat these challenges, entities are encouraging the adoption of technological innovations such as mobile wallets and blockchain. This shift not only enhances transactional security but also improves customer experience—a win-win for travellers and the industry alike.