New B2B payment solution simplifies OTA-hotel transactions, enhancing efficiency and security for Thailand’s hotel industry amid tourism recovery.
A newly launched B2B payment solution developed by Mastercard, a technology company in the payments industry, NTT DATA, an IT infrastructure and services company, and OneHotel, a hotel management software company, is paving the way for fast, simplified payment processing between online travel agents (OTA) and hotels in Thailand – transactions that have traditionally been associated with inefficient, laborious, and time-consuming processes.
Currently, when a reservation is made for a hotel through an OTA, the payment is sent from the OTA to the hotel either via bank transfers or through a virtual card, which is a dynamically generated 16-digit number for authorizing a one-off transaction, replacing the cardholder’s credentials so that sensitive account details are not exposed. However, bank transfers often take an extended period of time to clear, and virtual cards require hotel staff to manually process every single transaction once the details have been received.
This solution from Mastercard, NTT DATA and OneHotel digitizes and simplifies the payment process for hotels, effectively automating the processing of incoming virtual card payments, eliminating the need for manual reconciliation of individual transactions, and allowing payments from OTAs to be processed effortlessly. This enables all parties to benefit from the high level of security afforded by anonymized virtual cards, while helping hotels to improve operational efficiency, reduce human error in the billing process, and receive payments from OTAs quicker.
In its first run as a pilot program with KASIKORNBANK as the acquiring bank, with a specific focus on hotels with low acceptance rates of virtual cards, it has been estimated that a hotel with 500 weekly bookings on average could save up to three months’ worth of labor hours annually by switching to this solution. The new payment solution is now live with KASIKORNBANK’s hotel partners.
In particular, the solution is likely to benefit the country’s more than 26,000 small-to-medium-sized accommodation operators, for whom OTAs represent over 90 percent of their bookings. These smaller operators work with tighter budgets and smaller teams than larger operators, and given their reliance on OTAs for bookings, the potential savings in costs and time will be significant.
“It is gratifying to see NTT DATA’s virtual card straight-through solution significantly enhancing our customers’ operations and cash flow, while driving digital transformation and supporting the growth of businesses in Thailand,” stated Sutas Kongdumrongkiat, CEO, Thailand, NTT DATA. “We are excited to support the hospitality industry in its journey through this innovative partnership.”
Kritipaat Sowanitrakul, CEO of OneHotel, said: “In today’s dynamic travel landscape, innovation is key to optimizing operations and exceeding guest expectations. The payment solution eliminates manual processing, allowing our hotel partners to focus on exceptional guest experiences. This innovation enhances efficiency, streamlines B2B payments, and positions OneHotel at the forefront of industry adaptation.”
Boonterb Chirapatr, First Senior Vice President, KASIKORNBANK, said: “KASIKORNBANK takes delight in empowering the tourism and hotel industry with our innovative B2B Payment services, in collaboration with Mastercard, NTT DATA, and OneHotel’s virtual card solution. This partnership aims to trim costs and boost management efficiency for hotel owners.”
The launch comes at an opportune time for Thailand’s tourism industry, with inbound travel in 2024 projected to fully recover to levels seen in 2019. Hotels and accommodation operators can therefore expect a surge in bookings in the coming months, and having a digitized payment solution that streamlines processes and enhances efficiency is key.
Winnie Wong, Country Manager, Thailand and Myanmar, Mastercard, said: “Given the incredible popularity of online booking platforms among travelers, and the importance of tourism to Thailand’s economy, providing a solution that simplifies, digitizes and removes friction in the payment process for hotels and accommodation operators is crucial – especially as the sector gears up for full recovery post pandemic. Mastercard is pleased to be working with NTT DATA, OneHotel and KASIKORNBANK to introduce a seamless, secure and innovative B2B payment solution that addresses the pain points of tourism operators in this country and unlocks significant efficiencies for them, while creating a more unified payments ecosystem within the industry.”