Crypto-friendly travel booking platform Travala.com has reported a significant rebound in May, with booking revenue jumping 205% compared to April, as travel demand starts to recover despite ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. Notably, over 60% of all bookings were paid using cryptocurrencies.
Travel Demand Returns Amid Pandemic
Travala.com, which offers flights from over 600 airlines and access to more than 2 million hotels and accommodations globally, released its monthly performance report for May on Monday. The global travel industry has been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, economic downturn, and extended lockdowns. Travala acknowledged the challenges, stating, “We have endured a turbulent few months, due to travel restrictions and border closures resulting in cancellations and reduced bookings.” However, the company added that “Confidence and a desire to travel are returning with a significant increase in demand.”
Overall booking revenue for May reached $68,162, a 205% increase from April. The total number of room nights booked in May was 541, representing a 45.8% rise compared to the previous month. The top countries booked included the United States, Thailand, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Poland, and Vietnam. Website traffic also grew substantially, with direct traffic from the U.S. increasing by 541%, followed by Vietnam (118%), the U.K. (80%), the Netherlands (56%), and Germany (54%).
Cryptocurrency Payments Dominate
Travala has partnerships with major travel industry players such as Booking.com, Priceline, and Travelbybit, as well as blockchain partners including Binance, Litecoin Foundation, Digibyte, Tron, Huobi, Bitcoin.com, Gemini, and Crypto.com. The platform accepts a wide range of digital assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Binance Coin (BNB), AVA, Tether (USDT), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Ripple (XRP), TRON (TRX), EOS, Cardano (ADA), Waves, NEM (XEM), DAI, Qtum (QTUM), Dash (DASH), Monero (XMR), Stellar (XLM), NANO, NEO, and Gemini Dollar (GUSD).
In May, over 60% of all bookings were paid with cryptocurrencies. The breakdown of popular payment methods showed that Bitcoin accounted for 21% of all bookings, followed by Travala’s native token AVA at 16%, Crypto.com Pay at 14%, BNB at 2%, and other cryptocurrencies at 7%. Credit card and PayPal payments made up the remaining 40%.
Travala’s performance highlights the growing adoption of cryptocurrencies in the travel industry, even amid a global crisis. As travel restrictions ease and consumers seek flexible, borderless payment options, crypto-friendly platforms like Travala are poised to capture a significant share of the market. The data also underscores Bitcoin’s continued dominance as a payment method, while utility tokens like AVA gain traction for loyalty and booking incentives.