Few industries are as competitive as international travel. An innumerable array of airlines, hotels, and tourist agencies vie for the custom of would-be vacationers, each trying to outdo the other in the features they offer. Payment options are key to this, with rich rewards for companies that are willing to innovate.
It’s little surprise, then, that cryptocurrency transactions are starting to find their way into the travel space — a trend that looks set to accelerate throughout 2022.
The coming of crypto
In December, we heard that blockchain-based travel agent Travala.com was enhancing its provision for Bitcoin payments, opening the door to millions more crypto bookings.
The really big news came a few weeks later, however, with an eye-catching tweet from Airbnb boss Brian Chesky. Having polled his followers on what new features they’d like to see, Chesky cheerily shared that crypto payments had landed the top spot. Combined with an IPO prospectus that hints at the future…