Consumers want more choice when it comes to paying for their trips, according to a study.
The research from YouGov and ACI Worldwide reveals more than a third of Britons, Americans, Chinese, French and Germans are unhappy they can’t choose to pay how they want.
The study shows 30% of travelers want a range of payment options when they are booking holidays online while 36% are frustrated when their preferred payment method is not offered.
Credit and debit cards are still the most popular means of payment generally according to 36% and 29% of participants respectively followed by PayPal at 17%.
In some countries consumers opt for local payment methods with 33% choosing bank transfer in Germany and 78% using Alipay in China.
The research also highlights a further frustration for 66% of travelers, namely hidden fees and lack of pricing transparency.
Almost a third, 32%, also expressed concern about what travel companies do with their personal data and 34% say operators should be more open about how they use customers’ personal data.
Fraud also gets a mention in the research with a third of consumers saying they have experienced fraud while booking a holiday or while traveling.
Only 18% of UK travellers say they have experienced compared to 30% of Germans, 36% of Americans, 35% of French and 61% of Chinese travelers.
Subscribe to our newsletter below
Peter Moedlhammer, head of global ecommerce solutions for electronic payments specialist ACI Worldwide, says: “There are a number of key service trends travellers value most when it comes to booking trips online.
"Local and alternative payment preferences as well as fraud and security impact not only the purchase but also the travel experience. These factors influence travellers’ choice of operators, and whether they return to those providers in the future.
“With downward cost pressures and the strain of competitive threats weighing on travel operators, the need to understand customer buying drivers and preferences has never been more important.”
Further highlights of the research include that almost three quarters, 74%, prefer to book via a digital device and only 10% book in person.
Survey participants also say they like to book via travel comparison websites with 30% expressing their preference for the channel.
The study was conducted via an online survey of 7,400 consumers.