Amadeus travel agents can now pay for Booking.com accommodations using even more virtual payments from a wide range of participating banks. Typically, when a hotel is booked by a travel agent the actual payment is made by the traveller at the property after they have completed their stay. Today’s ‘post-pay’ model means travellers must be present at check-in to register card details and then again at check-out to make the payment. Business travellers often need to use their own personal card to pay for the hotel before submitting an expense form to reclaim the money from their employer.

Travel agencies reserving Booking.com accommodations through the Amadeus Travel Platform can now choose to process payment using a wider range of virtual cards from Amadeus’ digital wallet, across more than 1.3 million accommodation options.

The Amadeus B2B Wallet solution integrated with Booking.com reduces the demand on travelers to provide upfront payment information or to make payments at the point of check-in or out.

For travel agencies, the ability to use the Amadeus B2B Wallet means they can set and manage priorities for how they pay accommodation providers. The new solution automatically recommends the best payment method for each individual stay within the booking flow, based on a wide range of payment options from leading participating banks.

Katja Bohnet, VP Hospitality Distribution, Hospitality, Amadeus, said: “By helping agents pay for stays with Booking.com’s accommodation partners, we’re removing several points of friction. Travelers no longer need to provide card details at check-in or make a payment for the room at the front desk when they check-out. Travel agents can align how they make payments depending on their strategic priorities thanks to a wide choice of options from our issuing partners. Accommodation partners will also receive payment quickly and reliably: it’s a win-win-win.”

Jeremy Cornuau, Global Director for Partnerships, Booking.com, added: “Our primary aim is to make every aspect of the travel experience easier and more streamlined for travelers and travel providers alike, including when it comes to payment options. Virtual cards offer significant benefits and are gradually replacing legacy settlement schemes and manual plastic card payments across travel. The Amadeus Travel Platform is an important distribution channel for our accommodation partners and making virtual payments part of the reservation process is a big step forward for everyone involved.”

Travel agents paying for Booking.com hotel stays now have the choice of using 14 different card types including credit, debit and pre-paid options, provided by issuing banks from across the world. When agencies choose to pay this way, the virtual card is automatically recommended within the existing booking flow, saving time and creating efficiency across the entire booking experience.