Ébène, 15 May 2024 – Globally, the tourism sector grew by nearly 14% in 2023 compared to the previous year, recovering from the impact of the COVID pandemic. After declining to US$1.3 trillion in 2020 due to the onset of the health crisis, this market’s revenue worldwide surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2023, peaking at roughly US$2.29 trillion.
Mauritius is no exception to the global trend. In 2023, over 1.29 million tourists visited the vibrant island economy, according to figures released by Statistics Mauritius. And, in 2024, visitor numbers are expected to return to pre-COVID levels, akin to the 1.38 million tourists who visited Mauritius in 2019. Meanwhile, tourism earnings grew 32.6% year-on-year, from MUR 64.84 billion in 2022 to MUR 85.99 billion in 2023, after declining to an all-time low of MUR 15.25 billion in 2021.
“With the tourism sector contributing as much as 8% of the GDP in Mauritius, it is clear that exploring the full potential of this key sector is crucial to the economy’s recovery in a post-COVID context. This is where automated payment processing systems can play a significant role in helping hospitality majors contribute to revenue growth for the sector, and by extension, the larger economy,” says Sandeep Chagger, Group COO at payment gateway Peach Payments.
Indeed, the way tourists book and pay for hotels has undergone a remarkable transformation, accelerated by the pandemic. In particular, an eye-catching statistic from The Hotelier Technology Sentiment Report notes that around 82% of surveyed hoteliers, out of a total of 525 respondents, introduced at least one form of technology during COVID. Of these upgrades, it is hotel payment automation that came into its own. No wonder that SiteMinder’s Hotel Booking Trends report shows online sales in the hotel segment hold the potential to generate 80% of total revenue in three years.
“Ultimately, in the modern hospitality landscape, having a seamless payment process is no longer just a competitive advantage – it’s non-negotiable. Clients are demanding accessible payment options that offer a secure and seamless payment experience to guests,” says Sandeep. He goes on to elaborate five key benefits that modern payment gateways offer hospitality businesses in Mauritius:
1. Faster and smoother bookings
Payment platforms must provide a fast and convenient way for hospitality guests to make payments for bookings directly on the virtual real estate of the hotel.
“With a payment platform integrated seamlessly with the hotel reservation system or even through a standalone system that generates payment links, customers can complete their purchases in seconds. This benefits the hospitality business that can manage payments with greater ease,” Sandeep explains.
2. Secure systems and data privacy
He underlines the importance of payment gateways in securing guest and hotel data, saying: “The number of channels a transaction must traverse before payment is concluded is manifold. As money changes hands several times, there are more opportunities for guest data to be compromised. This is why it is essential to use an encrypted and secure payment platform that is integrated into the hospitality business’ website or app.”
Guests can enter their payment details directly, reducing the number of individuals exposed to their information, he elaborates. This extends the comfort of additional data privacy to the guest, as their payment information is never stored or shared on an unsecured server.
3. Lower risk of manual error
Currently, clients seeking to stay at properties in Mauritius need to complete the payment process by sending an email to the reservations team with a credit card authorisation form. This cumbersome and time-consuming process also introduces the risk of manual errors.
“A suitable payment gateway lets visitors pay directly by credit, debit or prepaid cards over the establishment’s website or via payment links. This ensures that the process is secure and avoids the pitfalls of manual errors when filling in forms,” Sandeep says.
4. Greater customer trust and loyalty
Sandeep warns that any shifts to a payment screen that does not feature the hotel brand can cause guests to reconsider their buying decisions.
“Direct payment processing with an integrated payment gateway or payment links with a hotel’s brand provide a more seamless checkout experience, which can help hospitality businesses to build and retain customer trust and loyalty. This can lead to more repeat customers and more positive reviews for hospitality brands in Mauritius,” he says.
5. Save hotel resources
“Payment gateways create efficiency because they eliminate tedious tasks and minimise human error. In turn, this allows hotel staff to focus on more customer-facing and productive activities,” Sandeep explains.
In addition, he notes that real-time invoice and payment tracking allows for faster reconciliation and eliminates duplicate invoices, as well as lost or duplicate payments.
“Besides, streamlining your payment and accounting processes ensures that you get reliable data for informed decision-making,” he says.
Keep it in-house
Ultimately, by keeping guests within the secure bounds of a hospitality website or application, a payment platform helps guests steer clear of lengthy forms and reduces the time they wait for a payment to be processed. Together, this results in a smoother and faster booking experience, leading to increased customer satisfaction, higher conversions, and lower cart abandonment rates.
“In Mauritius, payment processing services are available to hospitality majors that enable card payments from both Mauritian and international customers, with little-to-no additional coding or integration on the part of hotels and travel agencies, while maintaining stringent security standards. This makes for a secure reservation process for guests, and the hospitality industry benefits from an affordable automated payments solution,” concludes Sandeep, adding that such innovations are expected to go a long way in taking the tourism sector on the island to the next level.
ends
About Peach Payments:
Peach Payments is a fast-growing African payment solution provider (PSP) that makes online commerce and digital payment acceptance easier and more accessible across Mauritius, Kenya and South Africa.
The company provides direct settlements in all three countries, as well as aggregated payment services in South Africa. The company works with small and large sellers to provide a complete toolkit to accept, manage and disburse payments through web and mobile.
Peach Payments’ merchant partners include your favourite food delivery services, whether you’re ordering in or using a meal kit, travel services that can help you book your next getaway adventure and even your neighbour’s side-hustle e-commerce store. For these partners and their customers, Peach Payments aims to provide delightful experiences that make it as easy as possible to facilitate online payments.
