- Travala now accepts payments in SOL and major stablecoins with no cost.
- Travala’s new loyalty program allows users to earn up to 10% SOL rewards.
Travala, a cryptocurrency-focused online travel booking platform, has announced an exciting extension of its payment options through integration with the Solana blockchain. CEO Juan Otero revealed the exciting move at the Solana Breakpoint conference in Singapore, allowing passengers to book hotels and flights with Solana’s native token (SOL) as well as popular stablecoins such as Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC).
The combination allows Travala users to make direct transfers and withdrawals of SOL, USDT, and USDC into their accounts. This innovation enables zero-fee transactions on travel bookings, increasing the platform’s appeal to crypto users looking for low-cost solutions.
New Rewards, Multi-Chain Strategy
In addition to these capabilities, Travala is introducing SOL travel incentives as part of its loyalty program. Users can now earn up to 10% in SOL incentives through Travala’s Smart Program, which encourages the use of cryptocurrencies for travel bookings. The platform’s native token, AVA, will also be introduced on the Solana blockchain, adding to its existing presence on Ethereum and BNB Chain. This multi-chain method is intended to increase AVA’s accessibility and utility within the larger cryptocurrency ecosystem.
The integration follows a recent collaboration with global travel marketplace Skyscanner, which exposes Travala’s 2.2 million hotel inventory to Skyscanner’s 110 million monthly visitors. This places Travala with big travel agencies such as Expedia and Booking.com.
Otero highlighted the importance of this visibility in reaching widespread crypto adoption, allowing consumers to discover and book through Travala while also benefiting from cryptocurrency payment choices and rewards.
Travala currently supports over 100 coins for bookings, however only a few are natively supported by user wallets. The Solana connection addresses this constraint by allowing customers to manage Solana-based assets directly from the Travala platform.
Looking ahead, Travala intends to create new solutions that take advantage of Solana’s speed and scalability, supporting crypto as a widely recognized payment mechanism in the tourism sector. Travala expects to attract more customers to its cryptocurrency-friendly booking site by combining the Solana connection with its Skyscanner relationship and loyalty program.
