Adventure travel offers up the places and experiences people dream about, and adventure travel operators and industry partners are the organizations and companies that fulfill those dreams. But travel companies are complex. One of the biggest challenges they face is finding a way to take payments for these dream trips. NXGEN Payment Services is a partner of the Adventure Travel Trade Association who provides a trusted, thoroughly researched, and travel-experienced merchant services team to help smoothly guide the payment acceptance process.
In order for a business to accept credit card payments, they have to fill out an application that is reviewed by underwriters. The adventure, travel and tour industries are unfortunately considered “high risk” by these underwriters because of something called “future delivery.” “Future delivery” to an underwriter is when the cardholder receives their purchase at a future date, and not at the moment of payment. The time gap between payment and receiving a product gives the cardholder the ability to dispute the sale. Usually, the business receives its money 24 - 48 hours after a purchase, but if the sale is disputed -- called a chargeback -- that money must be taken back until the dispute is resolved. Is the money still in the bank account? Was the cardholder correct in the dispute? Was it fraud? There are lots of scenarios where the funding party and the business risk losing money. Travel-related industries have some of the highest rates of disputes and losses of any industry. That’s why underwriters label the industry “high risk”.
Most travel companies have likely been denied a merchant service account at some point, paid too high of a rate or worked with a payment services company that says one thing, then goes and does another.
“I tried many credit card processors but was turned down for not doing enough volume or they would not take travel companies,” said a representative from Infinite Safari Adventures. “Getting set up through NXGEN was easy and seamless, and I now accept credit cards which in this era of miles and points is essential to the success of my business.”
NXGEN Payment Services is an international organization that boards travel and adventure businesses in 17 countries. NXGEN services include:
- Credit & Debit Card Processing
- ACH/EFT & Check Processing
- Smartphone, Tablet, Mobile & Wireless Processing
- Internet Processing
- Gift/Loyalty Processing
- Consumer Financing
- Merchant Cash Advance