Tourism businesses can find in eCommerce an important ally for the revival of the sector

• PaynoPain summarizes in 5 the keys to having a secure, fast and easy-to-use e-commerce, which is essential to ‘return to normality’ in the tourism sector. 

• PaynoPain recommends offering multi-device payment experiences, in which the users can choose the way to make the transaction and the currency that best suits their needs, and feel total security and confidence when making the transaction.

The coronavirus has altered the vacation plans of many this summer: only 32% of Spaniards who had made plans keep them intact after the pandemic, according to SocioMétrica. The fear of contagion and the gradual opening of borders slow down the return to normality of a sector that, if in 2019 it contributed 153.9 billion euros to the GDP of Spain’s economy, Exceltur's forecasts are that this year its contribution  will barely exceed 70,700 million euros, the worst figure since 1999. Apart from the protection and hygiene measures, PaynoPain, a Spanish technology company specialized in the development of online payment tools, recommends that tourism operators opt for ecommerce as an ally to recover the figures prior to the pandemic.

"Although it is true that travel agencies and operators are, within the tourism sector, the most advanced in the adoption and use of electronic commerce - proof of this is that they generated 16% of the 11,999 million euros that they invoiced e-commerce in Spain in the second quarter of 2019, according to the CNMC-, there is still room for improvement that can be vital for recovery, ”says Jordi Nebot, CEO and co-founder of PaynoPain.

This way, PaynoPain recommends that those who have not yet started their journey in the online world, do it as soon as possible, since 72% of Spaniards already prefer to pay and book trips online, according to Cetelem data. The advice for those that already sell online,  is to check if their online sales systems include the following options:

1. 100% safe. Overcoming the fear of being scammed is still the main obstacle for a website visitor to end up becoming a customer. The best formula to guarantee security to the user and give them confidence is to comply with all the PCI regulations, the also mandatory PSD2 with its corresponding 3D Secure authentications and add extra layers of security as an intelligent anti-fraud system.
2. Multi platform. Currently, the computer is giving way to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets when hiring and paying for vacations online, so it is important to have a multiplatform sales system. In this way, it will be possible to increase the conversion ratio and maximize sales opportunities.
3. Cards tokenization. The debit or credit card continues to be the favourite means of payment for customers, so ensuring that the user's sensitive data is safe from any possible fraudulent use is essential. The fact of having a payment gateway capable of tokenizing card payment data in a completely indecipherable code is the best guarantee, also for the service provider since, thanks to this technology, they can check security data before executing the reservation, for example, verifying if it has been stolen or has enough money, and minimize any scam attempt.
4. Variety of online payment methods. It is important to consider a wide range of options so customers can find the one that best suits their needs or preferences. Thus, for example, it is interesting that the operator has a payment service that includes payment by link with 3D Secure and even IVR (Interactive Voice Response), to guarantee efficient and very secure remote charging to customers who prefer book by email and phone, respectively.
5. Multicurrency and digital means of exchange. The Internet opens the business to the world. For this reason, it is important to have an automatic currency conversion system, which makes it easier for foreign customers to pay with their currency. With this, not only it is possible to optimize the conversion ratio but also to offer a better online booking and payment experience. It is also convenient to open up to the use of digital currencies or cryptocurrencies as a payment method.

“Today it is no longer enough to be on the Internet. Businesses have to create safe, convenient and fast shopping experiences for the user. Offering dream destinations and vacations for a population eager to forget about the months of confinement and facilitate online booking and payment anytime, anywhere, regardless of device and method of payment, can be key for the recovering of the sector. That is why we create personalized shopping experiences with the business brand to build trust. In these times it is what the customer needs the most", says Nebot.

PaynoPain has a specific payment gateway service for the tourism sector, Paylands, which includes all the aforementioned benefits and, in addition, a fraud monitoring tool, which shields consumer information and the operations they carry out.