Online hotels service HRS is offering corporate customers an alternative to direct payments at hotels following a tie-up with AirPlus International.
HRS says the Global Payment service is available to 35,000 corporate customers including Asia and offers a central payment scheme.
The deal should provide better data for corporates, make expense reporting easier for travellers, make for a more paperless experience overall and help companies tighten travel policy.
The scheme works by generating a virtual MasterCard number and sending it to each hotel booked via the HRS corporate portal. All hotel expenses are then billed to an AirPlus account after checkout.
The announcement coincides with the release of a PhoCusWright study highlighting trends in alternative payments for the travel sector.
The study shows one-in-five online intermediaries offers an alternative online payment mechanism while 38% say they plan to in the future.
HRS says the addition of Global Payment means it now offers corporates a complete service from hotel purchase to booking and payment processing.
NB: Virtual payments image via Shutterstock.