From delayed check-in lines to abandoned upgrade offers, outdated payment flows are costing the travel sector millions. Guests book trips on mobile devices yet often face portals, IVR menus, or in-person swipes when it’s time to pay. The disconnect fuels lost revenue, higher fraud risk, and declining satisfaction scores across hotels, resorts, vacation rentals, and timeshares.
Authvia’s TXT2PAY® gives travel companies a simple fix: embed a secure, PCI-level checkout link inside any SMS, RCS, or WhatsApp conversation. Guests tap once, pay in seconds, and enjoy a true mobile-first experience, no app downloads or portal logins required.
The Top Payment Pain Points in Travel
| Challenge | Real-World Impact |
| Long Front-Desk Queues | Manual card swipes slow check-in and hurt first-night CSAT. |
| Upgrade Offers Missed | Guests ignore email links; unsold seat upgrades and late-checkout fees leave money on the table. |
| High Card-Not-Present Fraud | Phone payments expose agents to PCI scope and increase chargebacks. |
| Last-Minute Add-Ons | Activities, tours, and resort fees often go unpaid when the traveler is off-property. |
| Global Payer Diversity | Wallet adoption varies—Google Pay < 3% and Apple Pay 12–14 % in the U.S.—forcing multiple payment rails.¹ |
How Authvia TXT2PAY® Solves Each Hurdle
1. Two-Tap Check-In
Send a branded text the moment a reservation is ready. Guests pre-authorize card or ACH, upload ID, and arrive to a key-card waiting, not a line.
2. Real-Time Upsells
Drop a Pay Now button into your upgrade SMS: seat class, spa package, late checkout. Rich RCS cards show the price and photo carousel; conversions rise 4× over plain links.
3. PCI-Level Security
Tokenization and HMAC-signed payloads keep card data off phones and hotel servers. Agents never handle PAN or CVV, shrinking PCI scope and insurance premiums.
4. Omnichannel Reach
TXT2PAY® detects wallet capability, Apple Pay, Google Pay (and other wallets), or stored token and falls back to card or ACH when wallets aren’t enabled. With 250 + gateway integrations, you keep your existing merchant IDs and negotiated rates.
5. Automated Follow-Ups
Schedule SMS or email reminders for no-show fees, incidentals, or timeshare dues. Early adopters report Days Sales Outstanding dropping 30%.
Use-Case Spotlights
Resort Check-In
• Guests receive SMS at 11 a.m. → tap to pay deposit and fill registration → skip desk, pick up keys.
Outcome: 40 % faster first-day throughput; lobby congestion cut in half.
Airline Seat Upgrades
• RCS rich card with seat map and Upgrade for $39 button → payment posts instantly.
Outcome: 18 % uplift in ancillary revenue, verified by A/B test.
Vacation Rentals & Timeshares
• QR code in rental agreement → guest pays cleaning fee + damage deposit via phone.
Outcome: 25 % drop in post-stay collections; NPS climbs from 78 to 91.
Business Value Framework
| Metric | Legacy Flow | With Authvia |
| Median Payment Time | 7 min portal avg. | < 2 min text link |
| Chargeback Rate | 1.8% card-not-present | 1.2% tokenized flow |
| DSO | 18 days | 12 days |
| CSAT / NPS | 80 | 93 |
Ready for a Smoother Trip For You and Your Guests?
Payment friction should never delay a vacation or drain your ancillary revenue. Authvia lets travel brands transform routine messages into secure revenue moments, boosting cash flow and delighting travelers before they even pack a bag.
Book a 15-minute demo to see TXT2PAY® in action.
¹ Mercator Advisory Group, “U.S. Mobile Wallet Adoption,” 2024.
