Contactless payments are an expected trend in many industries, especially tourism. People don’t always feel comfortable bringing cash with them while traveling, so their contactless cards are the most convenient solution. An even growing trend is accepting payments with your Android phone, using an appropriate app.
Let’s say you have an app like tapeeno on your smartphone and need to receive a card payment from someone. It turns your phone into a portable POS terminal, ensuring everything goes smoothly. Once you try this method, you’ll always trust how things work with contactless payments. Surely, when traveling, this is a pretty convenient option, saving you in many situations.
Let’s see why people love it:
Benefits of Using Contactless Payments While on Vacation
People don’t want to deal with currency conversion fees and large amounts of cash in their wallets. Contactless payments can be the solution in these cases. In this section, we’ll explain some of the reasons why contactless payments have their golden moment these days:
Hygienic and Safe
Maybe before 2020, we weren’t so afraid of germs. But the COVID-19 aftermath is all about avoiding the physical handling of cash or cards. That way, you avoid touching the terminal, or people’s hands, staying focused on your hygienic priorities.
It’s not a sterile option but is much safer compared to any other payment method’. You can easily disinfect your hands after each use, removing any potential germ from your skin.
Convenience in Use
Contactless payments aren’t something new, but they’re getting popular as much safer and faster payment methods. Each transaction is simple and fast, with no need to wait for change or deal with cash. The best for smaller transactions that will be quickly processed.
People use cards or phones to pay for airport services, street food, beverages, beach beds, etc. They also purchase museum tickets, ensuring they complete each transaction on time.
Secure Payments
In the past people were concerned regarding security when using contactless payments. Today we’re all aware that all transactions are encrypted, and larger purchases require PIN verification anyway.
Some tourists are worried about paying with their cards in unfamiliar places. But these worries should stay in the past because today’s approach is all about safety, security, and convenience.
Technological Advancements
Convenience in using smartphones and contactless payment methods means many technological advancements too. Tourist accommodations that embrace these technologies offer more comfort to the people who stay there.
Also, restaurants, hotels, beach bars, museums, and galleries should enable this option. That way, they showcase dedication to the tourists’ well-being, safety, and smooth experience.
Travel-Friendly Options
Offering travel-friendly options is meaningful for both travelers and tourist businesses. People can use their cards to pay for various services, without dealing with exchanging currencies and transaction fees.
Each contactless payment increases the trust between the tourist and service providers. That way, the tourist workers give each tourist an equal chance to use their service. And everyone is satisfied at the end.
Potential Concerns Regarding Contactless Payments in Tourism
There are many positive sides, but we shouldn’t ignore the fact that contactless payments raise specific concerns, like:
- Not everyone is digitally proficient, especially in developing countries
- Not everyone has a smartphone or a digital wallet
- Tourists may struggle if cash is not widely accepted
- Technical glitches may occur, like drained phone battery or malfunctioning reader
- Security risks in case of stolen or lost phone
- Limited acceptance, as not every destination develops equally
- Over-reliance on contactless payments
People must be aware that while contactless methods are convenient, they won’t always work perfectly. Bringing some cash or having a backup card can resolve most of the headaches related to the mentioned situations.
When to Avoid Contactless Payments
There are some specific situations where it’s wise to avoid contactless payments. Trust us, it won’t affect your convenience, especially if you pay attention to:
- Unknown Vendors: If a street vendor or some shop seems suspicious or unfamiliar, try using cash to pay. That way you avoid the potential risk for suspicious payments.
- Remote Locations: Always bring cash, especially in remote areas where chances to have some contactless payment methods are low. This infrastructure may not be available everywhere you go.
- High-Value Transactions: If you buy expensive clothes, jewelry, or other valuable items, we suggest you verify the payment with a PIN or signature. These sellers also want to protect themselves, so they’ll ask to swipe your card or enter the PIN code anyway.
There are so many situations to consider risky when paying abroad. We suggest always bringing some cash as a reliable alternative to contactless payments, especially if you’re unsure about specific sellers and their reliability. Some tourist destinations are known for pickpocketing and scams, so if you travel there, protect your card and money the best you can.
What the Future of Contactless Payment Brings?
While we can’t predict the future, there are some promising trends like biometric authentication, in case someone else knows your PIN. Sometimes people talk about wearables we can use to pay for our expenses, like rings or bracelets. Some even say we can use skin implants, but that’s too much of a deal for simple payments.
What we can expect is IoT implementation, like built-in chips in your car for smart parking, or using your phone on vending machines to purchase goods. The expansion of digital currencies can also be a promising trend, potentially making transactions faster and more efficient.
The future of contactless payment is closer than we can imagine, so it’s up to us to embrace the benefits and avoid the risks, especially when traveling around.
Conclusion
If you travel often, you should stick to the golden rule: Bring your card with enough money on it, use some cash to exchange it locally, and embrace contactless payments for reliability and convenience.
From booking flights to food corners, the efficiency and reliability are under your fingers. Embrace the technology, so you can ease your life while traveling – it’s that simple and easy.