With the surging demand of international business travel, global fintech platform Airwallex is partnering with Agoda, a global digital travel platform, “to make travel planning easier for Hong Kong SMEs and startups.”
As mentioned in the announcement, Airwallex Hong Kong customers will “be able to enjoy exclusive discounts on accommodation bookings using their Airwallex Borderless Cards.”
By booking through Agoda’s platform, Hong Kong SMEs and startups with Airwallex Business Accounts “can enjoy a 7% discount to book selected accommodations and Airwallex customers can enjoy 20% cashback on airfares and accommodation booking around the world, when they use Airwallex Borderless cards for their international travels during the promotion period.”
Airwallex’s partnership with Agoda “comes at a time when demand for travel has significantly increased over the past month, as quarantine measures and travel restrictions ease.”
In a recent Airwallex Hong Kong SME customer survey, 84% of respondents “plan to take a business trip in the next 6 months.” This figure “rises to 93% when asked whether they intend to take a business trip in the next 12 months.”
Of those who plan to travel, the top international destinations “include Southeast Asia (26%), Europe (17%) and Australia (9%).”
Other regions Hong Kong SMEs are “considering to travel to include Mainland China, the US and the UK.*
Arnold Chan, General Manager, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia at Airwallex, said:
“After almost three years of pandemic travel restrictions, many local businesses are eager to start traveling again. Being able to travel enables companies to keep up with the competition and to identify opportunities for growth. And as businesses in Hong Kong re-equip themselves to get the most out of their travels, we are pleased to be offering our continued support, empowering the city’s SME and start-up community to travel and grow internationally with help from our partners.”
Giuliana Riitano, APAC Market Director of Agoda, remarked:
“It is great to see businesses in Hong Kong recover from the pandemic, and to see so many that are eager to travel again. For many, their next business trip may be the first time they have traveled in a very long time. At Agoda, we constantly work towards reinventing the customer booking journey, and through this partnership with Airwallex, we hope we can help make their travel planning experience as hassle-free and worry-free as possible.”
Over the past few months, Airwallex has “committed a total of HK$5 million to help Hong Kong SMEs and startups recover and reopen from the pandemic while managing costs.”
Through offering a series of exclusive offers “alongside its local partners, more than 500+ of its SME customers benefited from the initiative.”
Arnold adds:
“We are pleased to be able to play a small part to help SMEs and startups in Hong Kong through these challenging times. As businesses navigate how to best operate in the ‘new normal’, Airwallex is focused on ensuring we provide the best possible global payment and money movement solutions that enable long-term growth and success.”