Curious and adventurous travellers from across the globe have long booked trips to experience the breathtaking landscapes and diverse cultures which Africa, Asia, and South America have to offer. And demand is growing: for example, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reported that international arrivals to Africa for the first seven months of 2022 increased by 171% compared to the same period in 2021. When it comes to booking luxury accommodation for these trips, guests are spoilt for choice. Luxury travellers do not mind splurging if it means destination experiences and service and guest relations excellence. At luxury price points, discerning travellers choose secure online payment options which ensure a safe and seamless booking experience.
Luxury experiential travel company andBeyond recognised the importance of offering guests unforgettable experiences in dream destinations alongside a strong focus on doing so through sustainable operations in natural places which need to be preserved for generations to come. Travellers demand a unique and tailored experience from the time they start dreaming about their vacation, until they arrive back home. This means that every single step in the vacation booking process needs to be of the highest quality, including the payment experience. That’s why andBeyond decided to partner with PayPal to secure guest bookings.
Incredible travel experiences from customer service excellence to making a positive impact
Offering unique travel experiences that unveil the harmony between nature and humanity, while having a positive impact on the land, wildlife, and people of the area has been andBeyond’s driving force for over 30 years. The company believes that travel to amazing destinations has the power to transform the traveller and the 75 communities and million acres of land that they are operate on across Africa, South America, Asia, and the Indian Ocean Islands. andBeyond’s dedication towards sustainable travel came long before 72% of today’s travellers believed that sustainability should be factored into travel decision-making. As it stands, the company’s 2030 vision is to support 40 million acres of key biosphere, and sustainably develop the adjacent communities by scaling their impact investment two-fold. This cannot be done without carefully selecting business partners and fostering relationships which will enable them to provide a superior customer experience. After all, bringing people to these amazing places would not be possible without the support of their guests.
The Opportunity
Booking a luxury vacation encompasses every interaction point between customers and the brand; from influencer posts shared and the website experience, to travel expert advice and confirmation emails. At andBeyond, every interaction with potential and actual guests is viewed as an opportunity to deliver a remarkable customer experience. Offering trusted payment methods is no exception. For this reason, partnering with the right payment services provider was identified as an opportunity to create a seamless customer experience. There were two key reasons for this: first, guests take between two and four weeks to complete a booking for a trip on which they would generally only depart three to 18 months after making payment; second, 90% of guests travelling to andBeyond’s destinations in Africa were from the U.S. or Europe. With such an international customer base, an internationally recognised and trusted payment option would build trust and give guests peace of mind that their payments were secure and they could look forward to their trip without worry.
The Solution
In May 2015, andBeyond brought PayPal on board as a payment partner. By offering PayPal’s Smart Payment solution, customers are presented with the preferred payment option, based on their location.
“Over the last year, 90% of our B2C sales were concluded using PayPal. This speaks to the value of offering our guests an internationally recognised, trusted payment option,” noted Nicole Robinson, Chief Marketing Officer at andBeyond. “Not only did we create value for our guests, but we found a business partner in PayPal that was willing to support our needs, help us better understand international markets, and expedite implementation processes.”
Outcome
PayPal’s acceptance by customers in global markets remains unmatched. With over 400 million users, PayPal’s international recognition as a trusted payment platform has given andBeyond’s guests confidence when making payments and control to be able to check and confirm the status of their payments made. It also simplifies the booking process since using PayPal shows amounts in the guest’s currency which reduces the need to do conversions or complex calculations.
andBeyond’s Robinson concluded: “We believe that a familiar payment option not only increases conversion rates, but ultimately provides a more comprehensive and positive guest experience.”
Success Metrics
- Over 90% of all B2C sales are concluded using PayPal.
- Less than 0.1% chargebacks on travel transactions using PayPal as payment option.
- Very low transaction failure rate supported by dedicated escalations team.
Quote Extract
“Not only did we create value for our guests, but we found a business partner in PayPal that was willing to support our needs, help us better understand international markets, and expedite implementation processes.”
- Nicole Robinson, andBeyond CMO